An Act of Sarcifice
by EraseMeFromYourNightmares
Summary: Two world's greatest detectives working on the same case. More specifically the Kira case. What could go wrong?
1. Chapter 1 E

Chapter 1: E

"There've been fifty-two deaths that we're aware of and that's just in the past week."

"Every single one of them involved a heart attack."

"They were all criminals who were either being held in prison or who were wanted by the police for outstanding crimes, and I think it's safe to say there are other criminals whose deaths are unaccounted for." an older man with blonde hair and a matching blonde moustache spoke from the front of the room. Beside him were another two officers, each of them had their own microphone to talk over.

"In which case the death toll could be well over one hundred."

There were about fifty police officers from all around the world in one large room. They were discussing about the recent deaths involving criminals around the globe, dying of mysterious heart attacks.

In the past two weeks over one hundred criminals that have done big and small crimes all died, and they all died the same way.

By a heart attack.

Today all the police officers have joined together to discuss the matter and decide how to handle the situation, but most importantly how to stop these deaths.

Matsuda, a young police officer glanced up and recognize his Chief, Soichiro, "Morning Chief. They started the meeting without you."

Soichiro took his seat next to Matsuda, "That's fine. I had to take an urgent call from headquarters."

"At any rate," another man from the crowd spoke. When Soichiro and Matsuda heard the man speak they turned their heads towards him and listened. "These were criminals who were probably facing executions sooner or later. Perhaps we shouldn't-"

The blonde haired man who spoke earlier slammed his fists on the desk and yelled angrily, "Why should it matter whether it's a criminal or someone innocent? Last time I checked murder was still murder!"

"It's still too early to consider these a homicide."

"Then how did all these people have heart attacks at the exact same time!? That's not coincidence. It's murder!"

"You think it's possible to simultaneously kill _all_ these people in different locations?"

"We're treating this as an elaborate murder plot that's been carried out by a large organization."

"If it is a large organization I'm sure I'm not alone in suspecting the FBI or the CIA."

"I dare you to say that again!" someone from the back row yelled.

A middle aged man from the crowd stood up from his seat and said, "Now, now. This is not the time to be joking around."

"We need to confirm that these are indeed homicide and not coincidences."

"How?"

"Autopsy results show that in all of these cases the victims died of a sudden heart attack."

"Investigating a series of heart attacks is pointless. I don't see what else we can learn."

"Absolutely, if these people had been shot or stabbed at least we'd have something to go on!"

The same blonde man from the front row spoke through the microphone, "If that's the case it looks as if we'll have no choice but to bring in L and E."

Suddenly the large room fell silent. The men glance around the room curiously. The assembled organizations then began to murmur to each other, discussing the option of asking L and E for help for this case. The only thing that could be heard were the whispers from the different police officers around the world, discussing about the idea of asking L and E for help on this case.

Matsuda leaned forward to his Chief and whispered, "Err Chief. What's this L and E they're talking about?"

"Right." Soichiro glance over at the young officer and explained. "I forgot that it's your first time at this conference. We don't know L's and E's real name or whereabouts. In fact we still don't even know what they look like. However they managed to solve every case they ever taken on. They tackled some of the greatest mysteries this world has ever known. They hide in the shadows, but they are the best of the best. Our last resort, our trump card."

Matsuda raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "Do they work together Chief?"

Soichiro shook his head, "Oh no, they work alone but they are the best, without each other's help."

"But I've heard L and E are extremely arrogant. I understand they'd only take on cases that they're personally interested in."

"That's exactly right. Besides, we don't even know how to contact them." someone replied.

"L is already on the move."

Everyone in the large room turned their heads towards the front of the room and saw a heavily disguised man on stage, "Gentlemen. L has already begun his investigation into these incidents." the man spoke, his voice low.

"Huh? Who's that?" Matsuda asked.

"That man is the only known person who can contact L. Nobody knows his true identity either." Soichiro answered the young man's question.

"Please be silent. L would now like to address the delegates." the man opened a laptop and an L appeared on the screen which also appeared on the monitor behind the man.

"Greetings to all of you at the ICPO. I am L. The difficulty of this case lies on its unprecedented scope and make no mistake, we are witnessing an atrocious act of mass murder, one that is unforgivable. This case cannot be solved without the full cooperation of the ICPO. That is all of the police organizations you represent throughout the world. You need to make the decision to fully support the investigation at this meeting. Also I require additional cooperation from Japan's National Police Agency."

Soichiro and Matsuda stood up from their seats, the chairs made a screech sound as it got pushed back, "Why Japan in particular?" Soichiro asked.

"Whether this guilty party is an individual or a group, there is a strong possibility that they are Japanese and even if they are not we can be sure they're hiding in Japan."

"What is all this based on?"

"Why Japan you ask? I think I will be able to provide you with proof of that after I directly confront the culprit."

"A direct confrontation?"

"At any rate I would like to set up the investigation headquarters in Japan."

"Wait!" an older man from the back row piped up. "What about E?!"

"Yeah!" another man shouted. "Isn't he going to be working with us?"

A few men nodded in agreement and waited for L's reply.

"E?" L's synthetic voice said. "As far as I know he isn't interested in this case."

"Why is that?"

"Because if E was interested he would have made an appearance today."

The same man who asked the question huffed in annoyance and sat back down in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest, "Arrogant." he muttered under his breath.

"Now," L continued. "Let's capture Kira."

…..

It's been a few weeks since the Kira investigation started. L and the police officers have made a few discoveries about Kira, so far they know Kira is in Japan and he needs a face and name to murder someone, but recently Kira had access to police files, from the beginning apparently. L had no choice but to send twelve FBI agents to Japan to investigate the police officers from the NPA. But unfortunately the twelve FBI agents all died of heart attacks. When the police officers from Japan found out L had sent FBI agents to investigate them, they all left the case because they didn't trust L and they didn't want to be murdered by Kira.

Only five members from the NPA stayed to continue working on capturing Kira. Soichiro, Aizawa, Mogi, Ukita and Matsuda, they were the only ones to stay behind and continue working on the Kira investigation and work alongside with L.

A few people wondered and hoped (mostly Matsuda) if E would start working on the Kira case because of recent events, but after all these weeks E still hasn't made an appearance. Therefore anyone who hoped E would start working with them gave up that idea.

This evening the five members met the famous L, they've discussed about Kira and what to do next and now they have finished.

"So, does anyone have any questions?" L asked as he gazed at the men with his dull eyes, his annoyance at having been interrupted earlier on was clear in his tone.

"Actually Ryuzaki," Soichiro started. "I do have one question for you and it pertains to what you said to us earlier about how you hate to lose. Does the fact that you've shown your own face means that you've lost? By just being here are you admitting defeat to Kira?"

"That's right. By showing my face to you now and by sacrificing the lives of twelve FBI agents I have lost the battle, but I'm not going to lose the war. This is the first time I've _ever _put my life on the line. I want to show Kira that we're all willing to risk our lives if that's what it takes," L gave his new team a witty smile. "And that justice will prevail no matter what."

"Hey yeah. That's right."

"I like the sound of that."

"We can do this!"

"Alright then, let's do this Ryuzaki."

Everyone smiled excitedly towards L. Soichiro looked like he was having a thought. Slowly he gave a small smile towards L, accepting this was the real L.

"Before we go any further I have to be absolutely sure that none of you are Kira. So I need to speak with each of you individually before you leave today."

"Huh?" Aizawa said in incertitude, he glimpsed over at the other men and said. "What's the deal? He still doesn't trust us?"

"No. I think it's a fair request. Try to see it from his perspective. Kira has been getting information from our headquarters from the very beginning. So there is a good chance that he is one of us."

"Chief's right. Working on this case has given us a chance to see him in person."

"He's risking his life to be here."

…

"I apologize for questioning all of you like that, but I'm afraid I had no other choice. I've determined that Kira is not among us."

The small group of police officers all sighed in relief.

"Ryuzaki how can you be certain that we are all innocent?" Soichiro asked.

"Well, to be honest from the beginning I set a number of traps that would reveal if any of you was Kira." L answered with his head resting on the palm of his hand, "But after speaking with you one-on-one I don't feel the need." L's cell phone started vibrating in his pocket, "Excuse me." he fished out his phone and answered.

"Understood. I'm just about finished here anyway. You got the key so let yourself in. Oh, and Watari," L paused and said, "Please bring the phone." he pressed the end call and looked at the men. "Watari is on his way."

The task force members waited patiently for Watari to arrive. About a minute or two minutes later a sound of the door unlocking was heard in the room.

The men glance up and saw a man in his seventies with snow white hair walk into the room. In his hand was a brief case and a hat. He greeted the men politely, "Gentlemen, it's an honour to meet all of you."

"This person is Watari?" Aizawa query, sounding doubtful.

"Um, what about your usual outfit?"

"If I dressed like that I'd be announcing to the world that I'm Watari." he explained. "That's all it takes to give away the location of our headquarters and Ryuzaki."

"Oh, I see."

"Ordinarily I would never show my face to any of you. The fact that I'm here is proof that you've won Ryuzaki's trust."

"Now that you mentioned it I do feel honoured." Matsuda rubbed the nape of his neck and let out a nervous laugh. "Ha, ha."

Watari looked over at L, "You mentioned on the phone you wanted me to bring the phone to contact E."

All the men pecked up when they heard the mention of E. They looked up at Watari, surprise and confusion were set in their eyes, "Huh?" they all said in unison.

"E?" Ukita questioned.

"Woah!" Matsuda chimed in, "E is going to work with us too?!" he asked curiously, eager to hear. "Amazing! We will defiantly catch Kira now with E's help!"

Aizawa looked at L and asked doubtfully, "E is interested in the Kira case?"

"Not exactly."

They all stared at L and waited for him to expand his sentence.

"I'm going to personally ask E to join the Kira investigation."

~Author's Note~

How was it? Was this chapter as good as toffee apples?

I never had toffee apples before…

I never had tacos either.

Disgraceful.

Anywhoo, I know this chapter was kinda boring, but trust me. Next chapter is going to be better. This was just the introduction.

I'm not going to say, "I do not own Death Note," in each chapter. We all know I don't, because if I did this would have been included. Or I could be Tsugumi Ohba pretending to be a fan and writing this other idea he had. Yep, I like this idea. Let's stick with it.


	2. Chapter 2 Calling

Chapter 2: Calling

"What?!"

"Are you serious?"

"What if E refuses to work with us?"

"How did you get his contact number?"

Watari passed the cell phone over to L and he accepted it, "Watari." L said, indicating he wanted Watari to answer their questions.

"Just like Ryuzaki, E has someone like me and their name is Marilyn. Marilyn is the person we will be contacting today, not E."

"Oh, right." Aizawa nodded in understanding. "I remember hearing about Marilyn."

"Anymore questions?" L asked.

Soichiro spoke up, "Yes. Why do you want E to work with us?"

"And have you ever worked with E before?" Ukita asked.

"No. I have never made contact with E in the past and he'd never made contact with me. We work separately." L glanced over in Soichiro's direction, "And the reason I want to work with E for the first time for this particular case it's because he's one of the best and his knowledge will be a great deal of help to us. Especially because we have a small number of people in this group." he stared at the men with his dark, intense eyes and asked, "Anything else?" the men shook their heads.

L glanced back at the phone and dialled the number. He held the phone by his ear with his thumb and index finger. Though the way he was holding it was slightly off, as if it was contaminated with some sort of disease. Everyone watched him quietly and patiently. After two rings the call was answered.

"Hello. This is Marilyn."

"Hello. I am L."

It was silent on the other line for a moment, "How may I help you?"

"Have you heard of Kira?"

"I have."

"I am currently running the investigation."

"I heard."

"And I would like E to work with me to bring Kira to justice."

"I apologise, but E isn't interested in the Kira investigation."

"I thought so, but I would like to speak to E personally and reason with him. Is that possible?"

"I'm afraid not. E doesn't take calls unless it's for his cases."

"Hm..." L hummed, even though his face didn't show it he was frustrated. "Is there any way I could get E to speak to me?"

Silent fell between them for a moment as Marilyn considered his words.

"L."

"Yes?"

"May I call you back in one hour?"

L raised an eyebrow and the men watched him curiously, "May I ask why?"

"I would like to discuss E about your proposition. In one hour I will inform you if E agrees to speak to you."

L nodded, "I look forward to hearing from you." he said and with that they ended the call. L peered back at the men and said. "In one hour we will hear back from Marilyn and possibly E."

In the past hour everyone continued working on the Kira case, but everyone (especially Matsuda) was waiting for the call from Marilyn.

Exactly an hour later the cell phone to contact Marilyn rang. Everybody stopped working and looked over at L. He flipped the phone open and answered, "Hello?"

"L."

"Yes?"

"E has agreed to speak to you."

"May I speak to E now?"

"No."

"No?"

"There are some conditions."

"And they are?"

* * *

It's been twenty-four hours since L contacted Marilyn. Since then the task force continued working on the Kira case, but they were all patiently waiting for a package from E.

Marilyn explained to L what E orders were. Today a package will arrive at the hotel and Watari will be the one to receive it. In the box there will be an object. It is only used to speaking to E, nothing more. Today everyone will have a chat with the famous E.

At the moment the task force were flipping through reports. The hotel room was a mess with paper all around the room. There were boxes full of paper beside the coffee table and paper scattered all over the floor. Matsuda was certain there was paper stuck under his shoe. Soichiro and Aizawa were seated on the couch, looking through the reports. Ukita was on the laptop, looking through footages and Matsuda was leaning on the wall, reading the reports. Mogi was at the NPA, making sure he received calls and packages from the public.

L was seated on his usual couch in front of the coffee table. It seemed that was his preferred seat to sit on because no one else has seen L sit anywhere else besides that chair. L had a few (a lot) snacks in the past hour and now he was having a cup of tea as he watched everyone work.

"Why isn't Ryuzaki working?" Aizawa muttered.

"He must have his own way of working." Soichiro answered, reading the reports in his hands.

Aizawa huffed in annoyance.

L took another sip of his tea, slurping it slightly while everyone was busy working, they didn't even notice Watari entering the room, carrying a brown box in his hands.

"Ryuzaki." Watari addressed the young detective. "This has just arrived from E."

Everyone in the room (except for L) glanced away from their work to look at Watari.

"Finally!" Matsuda exclaimed excitedly. "Let's open it and talk to E!"

"Watari, please open it." L ordered as he took another sip of his tea.

"Yes."

Watari set the box on the coffee table and opened it. Everyone's eyes were glued to the box, waiting to see what was inside. Watari opened the box and he reached his hands inside and pulled out a laptop.

Ukita stated with a raised eyebrow, "A laptop?"

"Ryuzaki." Watari started to explain. "Marilyn has explained to me how it works. Once you open the laptop we have to type in the password and a signal will contact E and he will answer."

"Alright. Do you have the password?"

"I do."

"Please set it up."

Watari nodded. He opened the laptop and typed in a _very_ long password on the keyboard. Watari turned the laptop towards L, so he could be face to face with it. The laptop screen was black, nothing was on it. Everyone stared as they waited patiently for E to answer.

Slowly a giant calligraphic E appeared in the centre of the screen. L recognised the writing style. It was Harrington style. It was different to L's Old English style.

"I am E." came a voice from the laptop speakers. It was obviously a synthetic voice.

L listened to the voice carefully. The voice was disguised, like he would usually do when speaking to someone.

"Hello. I am L."

"I know." the synthetic voice said.

_Hm… E sounds irritated. _L thought to himself with his thumb pressed on his bottom lip.

"I would like to discuss the Kira investigation with you."

"Go on."

"I am the one running the investigation and because of recent events we are low on police officers and your ability will be a great use to us."

It was silent for a moment on the other line, "You want me to work on the Kira investigation with you." E said, more as a statement than a question.

"Yes."

"L and E working together."

Matsuda grinned excitedly when he heard E say that.

"Yes."

"No."

"No?"

"There was a reason why I didn't start working on this case from the beginning. It was because I wasn't interested and I'm not interested in this case now. Besides, I _work_ alone."

Soichiro and Matsuda were taken aback by the statement while Aizawa and Ukita frown at the response.

"I'm aware you're not interested in the Kira case, but I'm speaking to you today so I can reason with you."

"Alright. Reason with me."

"Very well, I discovered Kira can kill criminals without being present-"

"Ryuzaki!" Matsuda exclaimed, cutting L's sentence. He frowned. Matsuda stood up from the couch and said. "Are you sure you should be discussing the Kira case with someone who isn't a part of it?"

"Yes. If we wish for E to work with us, it's required I inform E everything that has happened in the Kira investigation at this point."

"But-"

"Matsuda." Soichiro addressed the young officer sternly. "Take a seat."

Matsuda glance down in embarrassment, "Sorry." he apologised and he sat back down on the couch.

In the past few minutes L explained to E everything they'd discovered about Kira. He also explained what had happen recently with the police officers from the NPA leaving the Kira investigation because Kira killed the twelve FBI agents, and now L only has five police officers from the NPA working on the case with him.

"This is why your assistance is required." L said, finishing his explanation.

"Sounds like this case has kept you busy."

"It has." L paused for a moment before asking. "Are you interested in joining the Kira investigation?"

"I do not understand why you require my assistance."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You have five perfectly good police officers working alongside you, plus Watari and yourself. I'm certain you will do just fine without my aid."

"You are correct, but it would benefit the case if you were on it."

"I apologise for wasting your time but I deny your offer, once again."

"May I ask why?"

"I've told you many times now L. I am not interested."

L was about to reply when Matsuda stood up and storm towards the laptop and took a hold of the speaker before yelling into it, "There are hundreds of people dying every day because of Kira! You're going to let all these _innocent _people die because you're not interested in the case?! You are a detective! Do your job and help these people!"

Suddenly the calligraphic E on the screen disappeared and the laptop shut down.

Soichiro, Aizawa and Ukita eyes widened in shock, they stood up from their seats and yelled in unison, "What happen?!"

"E ended the call because of Matsuda." L stated in annoyed tone as he brought his thumbnail to his teeth and bit into it slightly.

Aizawa shot his head towards Matsuda and shouted, "Matsuda!"

"I'm sorry!"

"What should we do now?" Ukita asked.

Aizawa huffed in annoyance, "Because of Matsuda," he avert his gaze on Matsuda and he looked away guiltily. "E isn't going to contact us again, but it doesn't matter. He didn't want to work with us from the beginning. E made it very clear."

"I can't believe you called those criminals innocent Matsuda." Ukita said with his arms crossed over his chest.

Matsuda glanced away, gulping. He tried desperately to force his reddening cheeks to turn cream-colored once again, but with little success.

L turned his head towards Watari and asked, "Could you please try and contact E again on the laptop?"

"Huh?" everyone in the room said in unison, baffled by L's words, they turned to look at him with knitted eyebrows.

"I'll try." Watari crouched down in front of the laptop and moved his fingers swiftly over the keyboard.

"What are you doing Ryuzaki?" Ukita asked.

"I'm going to contact E."

"Why?"

"I know E doesn't want to work with us." L looked at his team with his dark eyes and said. "But I'm not going to give up this easily. I want E on this investigation and I won't stop until E is on it."

The men weren't sure how to respond to L's words. Aizawa turned to his team and muttered, "Ryuzaki really wants E." they nodded in agreement.

"Ryuzaki." Watari addressed his companion. "I can't contact E. The laptop shut down completely."

"Very well, could you-"

A cell phone interrupted L's sentence. He frowned. Everyone was confused by the sound, their phones were turned off.

"I apologise." Watari apologised as he reached his hand in his breast pocket, "I must take this." he flipped the phone open and answered. "Hello. This is Watari."

Everyone sat back down on the couch while L leaned forward and grabbed a hold of his cup of coffee and took a sip of it.

"I see. Could you please hold on for a moment?" Watari turned his gaze on L and said. "It's E."

"What?!" the men exclaimed in shock. Even L himself looked taken aback. He turned his head to look at Watari with a quirked eyebrow and he held his hand out. Watari placed the cell phone in the palm of his hand and L held the phone by his ear with his thumb and index finger and heard.

"I will work on the Kira investigation with you."

* * *

~Author's Note~

E's first appearance! Kind off…

Look! This story got reviews! I will answer you right now!

**Maiannaise****: **I will not reveal that information. [snorts] I sound like someone in this story. Anywhoo, I'm not going to tell you. You will have to wait and continue reading!

**WildfireDreams****: **THANK YOU!

I would also like to thank you for reviewing and enjoy!

I will finish this note with a joke. [snorts] That rhymes.

What do you get from a pampered cow?

Spoilt milk.

[laughs hysterically for the next three years]


	3. Chapter 3 Faceless

Chapter 3: Faceless

"I will work on the Kira investigation with you."

L heard the same deep, synthetic voice say over the phone. Nobody in the room could hear what E was saying. All they could do was watch L as he spoke to E.

"What changed your mind?" L asked, puzzled by E's unexpected behaviour.

"I have a few conditions before I start working with you." E said, completely ignoring L's question.

"What would they be?"

"First: I will work on this case secretly. Only L, Watari and the task force will be aware E is working on the Kira investigation. No one else must know." L nodded in agreement, even though E couldn't see. "Second: I will work on this case as I usually work. I do not want to listen to anyone complain about the way I do things. Third: You are not allowed to give orders to me."

"Alright. I agree to your conditions but I do have one condition for you."

"What would that be?"

"You have to reveal your face to us."

The men watched L, gaping at him when they heard L's request. They wondered what L and E were discussing about. Did E agree to work with them? If so, why did he suddenly change his mind? A few minutes ago E declined their offer to work with them and to prove he was fed up with their conversation he hanged up on them.

"You want me to reveal my face to you, Watari and the five police officers."

"Yes."

"Just like you."

"Yes."

"Out of the question."

"Why?"

"Because L, just like you I do not reveal my face to anyone, especially now because of Kira."

"I revealed my face and I'm still alive."

"For now."

_Was that a sarcastic remark? _L mentally asked himself.

"I revealed my face because I trust the men on my team."

"I don't trust them."

"What could we do for you to reveal your face to us?"

"Why do you want me to reveal my face? Isn't a computer enough?"

"It's because these men have to be able to trust you and you trusting them."

"That's too bad because I'm not-"

Suddenly, E paused in the middle of his sentence. L raised an eyebrow curiously at the abrupt stop.

"One moment." E cut the phone off completely. L and E were still in contact but E cut off the speaker. L can't hear nor listen to E's side of the phone call.

"What's going on? Is E going to work with us now?" Matsuda asked, eager to know.

"E has agreed to work with us." L informed the men. Aizawa gaped at L, surprised that E actually agreed to work with them, "But," L paused for a moment before continuing his sentence. "When I asked him to reveal his face to us he refused and then cut me off."

"I don't like E." Aizawa stated with a frown, "He clearly doesn't want to work on this case. I don't understand why you want him working with us. _If_ he does work with us he's only going to boss us around." you could hear the air quotes around the word 'if'.

Soichiro tore his eyes from Aizawa and turned to face L and asked, "Why do you want E working with us?"

"I have already explained my reasoning to you. I want E to work with us because he's the best."

"L."

L heard E speak over the phone.

"Yes?"

"I will reveal my face to you."

L knitted his eyebrows together. By now L has noticed E's sudden change of heart when he first refuses to do something and suddenly agrees to do it. L first noticed it when Marilyn said E would not speak to him over the phone, but he did. E refused to work on the Kira case, now he is. E refused to reveal his face, but now he will.

L was curious. What's going on, on the other side of the phone call?

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I'm going to set a few tasks before I reveal my face." E said, yet again ignoring L's question.

"Tasks?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I'm setting these tasks for you to gain my trust."

"Alright." L agreed. "Please explain the tasks."

"There are three tasks in total, but I will not explain the tasks at this moment. Instead I will send you another package in six hours. The instructions will be in the package. However before I do that do you accept doing these tasks?"

"Yes I do." L agreed to E's tasks and he said. "I have a question."

"What is it?"

"When we complete these tasks will you reveal your face to us and work on the Kira investigation with us?"

There was a long pause before E said, "Yes."

"Alright." L said, pleased with the outcome of this conversation. "I'm looking forward to this E."

"L."

"Yes?"

"Please inform your team I overheard everything while I turned the speakers off."

And with that E ended the call.

L flipped the cell phone shut and held the phone up, handing it back to Watari. Watari took it and put it away in his breast pocket. L glanced back to look at the men and saw they already had their eyes on him, waiting for him to inform them what had happen with E.

"What happen?" Ukita questioned.

"What did he say?" Aizawa asked.

L turned his gaze on Aizawa and answered his question, "E asked me to inform you all he heard what you said about him earlier."

* * *

It's been six hours since L spoke to E. In the past six hours L has been waiting for E's package to arrive. He wanted E to start working with him as soon as possible. The faster they complete these tasks the sooner E would start working with him.

An hour ago Mogi and Ukita left the hotel room and travelled to the places where the twelve FBI agents had died and tried to collect video footage. Most of the FBI agents died at their hotel rooms and others died in public. The ones who died in public were the important footage. The first place Mogi and Ukita travelled to was the train station. After they collected all the footage they could get their hands on the investigators will examine the footage tonight.

At the hotel Soichiro, Aizawa and Matsuda were looking through reports and read out the information while L listened to them.

L honestly wasn't interested in the reports. There was nothing in them that was useful. Hopefully the video footage Mogi and Ukita collected today would be more useful. But at the moment what L really wanted was the package from E.

The door to the hotel room opened and Watari entered the room with a brown box in his hands, similar to the box they received from E earlier on today.

L noticed the box in Watari's hands and he asked, "Is it from E?"

Soichiro and Matsuda tore their eyes away from the reports and turned their heads towards Watari to look at the box while Aizawa continued reading the reports. Aizawa wasn't happy with E. He thought E was just wasting their time.

"It is." Watari replied.

"Please set it up."

"Of course." Watari set the package down on the coffee table. He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out a pocket knife and he opened the box.

Everyone stared at the box (except for Aizawa), "I wonder what it is." Matsuda wondered out loud.

Watari reached his hands inside the box and pulled out a laptop, similar from today.

Matsuda raised an eyebrow, "Huh? Another laptop?" he asked. Matsuda thought the box would have something a lot more interesting than a laptop, like night vision goggles, a laser, an alien.

Watari type swiftly on the keyboard, typing in the new password Marilyn had given him. When Watari finished typing the long password successfully he turned the laptop towards L, so he could be face to face with it. Soichiro, Matsuda and even Aizawa stood up from their seats and stood behind L, examining the laptop.

The screen was plain black but slowly the screen changed to the colour white and a giant calligraphic letter showed up in the centre of the screen.

E.

"This is E." the laptop spoke.

"Is this a record or are you speaking to us directly?" L asked.

"This is not a record." E answered and he continued speaking. "I'm going to explain your task."

The letter E became small and it moved to the top right corner of the laptop. On the left side of the laptop was a picture of an abandon building. It was a simple twenty feet building. Brown bricks, fifteen or twenty windows (some were broken) and the area looked deserted. Next to the picture was the information about the building. L read it.

"What's this?" Matsuda asked. He bent down a little next to L so he could have a better look at the screen. Matsuda was real close to L, he found it irritating. Matsuda was unaware by L's annoyance as he continued to stare at the laptop screen.

"This is an abandon building but it's being used to store guns. A man named Hachiuma Mamoru is the headman of this operation. He has six other men working alongside him to sell these guns to several countries such as the mafia, criminals, penose, yakuza and so on."

"What do you want us to do?" Aizawa asked as he stared at the screen and read parts of the information for himself.

"Stop them."

"Is that all?"

"Yes. This is a _very _easy case, anyone could do it."

Aizawa crossed his arms over his chest and huffed in annoyance, "I thought this was going to be a challenge."

"Why do you want us to complete this case if it's easy?" Soichiro query as he stared at the screen with doubt.

"I have my reasons."

"How long do we have to complete this task?" L asked.

"Six hours."

"What!" Soichiro, Aizawa and Matsuda exclaimed in shock.

"Are you serious?"

"That isn't enough time!"

"It's more than enough." E cut in. "As I said, this is a _very_ easy case and you have L working with you. I'm confident you will complete this task in less than six hours."

"I don't get it." Matsuda said with uncertainly as he scratched the top of his head. "If it's so easy then why are we doing it?"

"I have my reasons."

The three police officers glance at each other to see if they had an answer but they all stared at each other with confusion.

"Is Watari in the room?" E asked.

L stopped reading the information that displayed the information on the screen when he heard E's words. He said with a raised eyebrow. "Yes he is."

"Watari could you please set up the camera?"

"Camera?" the men asked in unison, confusion written across their faces.

"Of course." Watari looked through the box and pulled out a small camera. Everyone stared at the camera with wide, confused eyes. Watari glanced back at the laptop and asked. "Where would you like me to set the camera?"

"Somewhere where I can observe everyone as they work."

"Alright." Watari nodded as he set up the camera in the centre of the room.

"Why do you have a camera?" Aizawa asked with a frown. Creases were starting to grow on his forehead.

"Because I want to inspect how you all work together, but if-"

"Hey!" Matsuda shouted, cutting E's sentence off. "You would be able to see our faces but we can't see yours?"

"Please let me finish." E said, irritation clear in his voice. Aizawa gave Matsuda an annoyed look and he looked away in embarrassment.

"As I was saying, but if this makes you feel _uncomfortable_ then please wear sunglasses or a mask, anything to cover your face."

"That's not necessary." Soichiro said sternly and Aizawa agreed. "Yeah, I'm sure you're not Kira. I'm not going to wear anything."

"Same here!" Matsuda agreed with the older men. He had a bright smile on his lips.

The three police officers looked down at L and waited for his reply. L had his thumb pressed to his lip. He turned to look at Watari, who was setting up the camera and he said, "Watari?"

"Yes?"

"Could you please bring my mask?"

"Of course."

"Please use the laptop I given you while working on this case. You may start reading the information on the laptop." E said.

"Huh?" Matsuda knitted his eyebrows together. "Why read the reports when you already told us everything."

"I've only told you a _small_ piece of information about Hachiuma Mamoru, and besides." E paused for a moment and said. "You always have to read the reports. I thought you were police officers."

The look of annoyance returned to Aizawa's face, he glared at Matsuda and he looked away again, his cheeks reddening. Aizawa glanced back at the laptop and said, "We are."

"Then please don't ask _unnecessary_ questions."

L knew what E really meant.

_Please don't ask stupid questions._

"Watari?" E called.

"What is it E?"

"Have you set up the camera?"

"I have."

"Thank you. Everybody you have six hours to complete this case. Good luck." and with that the letter E on the right side corner of the laptop disappeared.

* * *

An hour has passed since the task force spoke to E. Since then Mogi and Ukita arrived back to the hotel with the tapes but Aizawa explained to them the task they had to complete to earn E's trust. Everyone will watch the tapes after they have completed E's task.

Meanwhile L sat on his usual seat, using the laptop E had given him while wearing a pink mask. The mask had two white eyes, a pair of black eyebrows and on the forehead there was three black lines, they were supposed to represent creases and the mouth was shape as a pout. Earlier Watari left the suite to retrieve L's mask. He came back and handed L's mask to him. L put his mask on and Watari turned on the camera. E was now observing the men working on this case he had given them.

Ukita was slightly annoyed about wasting their time working on this case except working on the Kira case (the case he had originally signed up for) but if this helps getting E to work with them and catch Kira then it's worth it.

The men were seated on the couch reading the reports about Hachiuma Mamoru and his business. Right now they were looking for the location of the building E has shown them. E didn't write down the address.

"Hachiuma Mamoru has been doing this business for six months now." Aizawa read out from the report.

"And he buys the weapons from America." Ukita said.

"I found him." L said in a bored tone as he continued typing on the keyboard.

"What?!" Matsuda looked at him with wide, surprised eyes. Everyone else turned their heads towards L and waited for him to continue.

"I found him." L repeated.

"That was fast." Matsuda murmured, impressed by L's skills.

"This is an easy case for us Matsuda." Soichiro said. "Imagine how easy this case is for Ryuzaki."

"Oh, err. You're right Chief!"

"This is the plan." L looked at Aizawa and Matsuda. "You two will go inside the building."

* * *

"I can't believe Ryuzaki ordered you to go into the building with me while Ukita and Mogi stand by and watch."

Aizawa and Matsuda were outside the building waiting for L's order. L's job was to instruct the men when to go inside the building. Once they both go inside and arrest the men Mogi and Ukita will come in and help. Soichiro was in the car outside the building, ready to take the men to prison.

"Huh?" Matsuda looked at Aizawa on his side. "What's wrong with me?"

"Everything."

"Aizawa." L said through Aizawa's ear piece.

"Yeah?"

"Enter the building in precisely ten seconds."

Aizawa nodded, "Alright."

Aizawa reached into his jacket and pulled out his gun. Matsuda watched him and copied his moves.

Aizawa looked at Matsuda and asked, "Ready?"

Matsuda nodded nervously.

"Let's go."

* * *

"Enter the building in precisely ten seconds." L spoke over the microphone as he watched the scene unfold in front of him with his mask on, in the empty hotel room.

Everyone has left the hotel to solve E's task. After they complete this case E will notify the men if they have passed and if they have they will be given a new task.

"You're bored."

When L heard the synthetic voice in the empty hotel room he glanced away from the laptop and looked at the camera E was using to watch the room.

_So E can speak through the camera._

L glanced back at the laptop screen and replied, "I'm not."

L was in fact bored, very bored but he'd decided to lie because he didn't want E to get annoyed by his answer.

"Let me rephrase myself." L turned back to look at the camera. "Aren't you bored being in this hotel by yourself watching the scene unfold in front of you?"

L asked, "Except being out there at the building myself?"

"Yes."

"Hm…" L thought for a moment and answered. "No."

"If needed would you go out into the streets to solve a case?"

"I would, but what about you? Do you go out and catch the bad guys?"

It was silent for a second until E reported, "Looks like they have completed the mission." E said, yet again ignoring L's question.

L glanced back at the laptop screen and saw that E was correct. His team was taking the bad guys to the car.

* * *

~Author's Note~

Have you guys seen Death Note the Last name the movie? I'm asking because the mask L was wearing in this chapter is the same mask from the movie. That was all I wanted to point out.

I will end this note with a poem.

My friend Billy,  
Had a ten foot willy.  
He showed it to the girl next door.  
She thought it was a snake,  
So she cut it with a rake,  
And now it's only two foot long.

A poem _not_ by me.


	4. Chapter 4 Pink

Chapter 4: Pink

The task force members completed their mission. Soichiro and Mogi driven Hachiuma Mamoru and his men to jail, when Soichiro and Mogi convey the criminals to prison, they had to write down a report, right after they finished writing their reports, Soichiro and Mogi drove back to the hotel.

Meanwhile, L was in the hotel room with Aizawa, Ukita and Matsuda waiting for Soichiro and Mogi to arrive back to the hotel room. After Soichiro informed L they have completed their task L noted after E stated the task force caught the criminals he turned the camera off completely, no longer observing the room.

Soichiro and Mogi arrived back to the hotel room, Matsuda greeted them and they sat down on the couch with everyone else. Now everyone was back in the hotel room, sitting on the couch, waiting for E to inform them if they have passed the task. Matsuda asked L if they should contact E, but L answered, E will contact them from the laptop very soon. The task force sat on the couch, silently and patiently waiting for E to contact them, while L drank his cup of tea, when he finished his tea he held the cup above his head and caught the last speck of tea dripping from the cup onto his tongue.

"This is E."

Everyone in the room snapped their heads towards the laptop when they heard E's synthetic voice. A giant calligraphic E appeared in the centre of the screen.

"Did we pass the task?" Aizawa asked. L glanced over at the laptop screen and waited for E's response.

"Yes you have. You have completed this case in only four hours. Very good."

Everyone sighed in relief, except for L.

"I will now explain your next task."

"How long will this task take?" Ukita asked, "We have to catch Kira."

"This task will only take an hour."

"Hm," Ukita thought about it for a moment. "Alright, that's not bad."

"It is," Aizawa said, frowning, "We're wasting our time doing these pointless tasks! We should be catching Kira instead!"

"Wasting your time?" E questioned, "I thought you were doing these tasks so I could work with you. And catching these men today was that a waste of time as well?"

Aizawa huffed in annoyance, and said grumpily, "No."

"It seems to me the more we discuss about this topic, the more time _you're_ wasting."

"Fine," Aizawa grumble, "Tell us the next task."

"This is an easy task. It shouldn't take any longer than an hour."

"What is it?" Soichiro asked curiously.

"You have to examine a few tapes."

"Tapes?" they repeated.

"Yes. I will send them over on this laptop and you all have to watch three videos and analyse them."

"And after we pass this task what will the next task be?"

"I will disclose you after you pass the current task, but I assure you the third task will be the final task."

"And you will show us your face?"

"Yes," E confirmed and called, "And L."

"Yes?"

"Is the camera in the same exact position?"

"It is."

"I will be watching again, you may put your mask on, if you wish to do so."

L nodded, "Alright."

"I will send the video footage now."

* * *

After E explained the next task to the men, he sent the video footage over to the laptop. E turned the camera back on and started observing the task force. Mogi connected the wire from the laptop to the many monitors in front of them. Once everyone set everything up, they sat down on the couches and started watching the three tapes.

The first tape revealed a busy street in a shopping centre, a lot of people walking down the street and shopping. Tape two was a train station, yet again it was busy with people. Tape three was a building, in an office, people working on the computers and taking calls. They've watched the videos for fifteen minutes now and they haven't noticed anything suspicious. It was just a lot of people shopping, taking the train and working.

"Why are we watching people shopping?" Ukita asked with his head resting on the palm of his hand as he stared at the screens.

"Keep watching." Soichiro ordered, "E wouldn't make us watch these if they weren't important."

"Huh," Matsuda said, scratching his head. "But we haven't noticed anything suspicious."

But L, he did notice something.

A man. In a jersey jacket. Carrying a backpack.

L had noticed the man in all three videos.

L finished drinking his cup of coffee and set it on the table before explaining to the clueless men about the man with the backpack.

"The man in the jersey jacket, carrying the backpack, he has been in all three videos." L stated, pouring himself another cup of coffee.

The men leaned in and looked closely at the monitors for a few seconds, studying the screens. Their eyes widened when they noticed the man in all three videos.

"He's right." Aizawa murmured.

"Woah! That's amazing L- I mean Ryuzaki!" Matsuda exclaimed excitedly.

"Good, you all have noticed."

Everybody in the room heard E's synthetic voice. The men looked over at the laptop, but they noticed the letter E wasn't displayed on the screen. "Huh?"

L glance over at the camera E was using to observe them from and said, "What do we have to do now?"

"Research him."

"And then?"

"Nothing else, just research him. Please finish within forty-five minutes."

"Wait! Why do we have to research him?" Matsuda asked, but E didn't answer. He must have turned the speakers off.

Or ignored Matsuda.

"Let's start researching him." L ordered, setting his cup on the coffee table.

The men spent the next thirty-five minutes researching the man with the backpack. They've found out this man is a drug dealer, he sells drugs to anyone who orders any from him.

"He makes the drugs at his department." Ukita notify, as he read out from the report.

"And he's been doing this business for the past four years." Mogi informed.

"Okay, we know this guy is a drug dealer, he sells his drugs to anyone, he makes them and he's been doing this for four years. Now what?" Aizawa snapped. He was clearly annoyed.

"And his name is Akako Ginjiro." L finished.

Suddenly, the letter E appeared on the laptop screen. Everybody glanced away from the papers in their hands and looked at the laptop on the coffee table, in front of L.

"Well done, you all have completed this task."

"Really?" Matsuda asked sceptically, "Was that all we had to do?"

"That was easy." Ukita murmured with uncertainly in his voice.

"Would you like me to give you a case that would take five days to complete?"

Matsuda shook his hands, "No, no! Let's start the last task so you can start working with us! Ha, ha." he laughed nervously.

"Alright, the last task is…" E paused and the men waited _patiently_ for E to finish his sentence.

"Interviews."

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Interviews?"

"Yes, I will interview each one of you, including L tomorrow morning."

Matsuda asked with a raised eyebrow, "Even L?"

"It's Ryuzaki Mr. Matsui." L corrected as his took a sip of his lukewarm coffee.

"Oh!" Matsuda's eyes widened when he realised his mistake, "Sorry!"

Aizawa glanced away from Matsuda and turned his head to the laptop and asked. "Why not now?"

"Because I'm not in Japan at the moment."

"Oh, okay."

That shut Aizawa up.

"I would like all of you to go to this location," a map appeared on the screen and L scanned the map and read the information, "The place I will be interviewing all of you is at the Naito hotel, at ten AM."

"Are you going to reveal your face to us?!" Matsuda asked his eyes wide with excitement.

"No."

"Huh?" Matsuda's excited smile disappeared and he stared at the laptop with confusion.

"I will explain my conditions tomorrow, after the interviews. If I feel I can trust all of you, I will reveal my face to you all and start working on the Kira investigation."

The men nodded, some were nervous (Matsuda) about being interviewed by E.

"We are looking forward to meeting you at the Naito hotel tomorrow." L said, pleased with the conversation.

"Good luck."

And with that, the letter E on the screen disappeared.

"What does E mean by 'good luck'?" Matsuda asked everyone.

The men looked at each other, but they didn't speak a word.

* * *

After the task forced finished speaking to E they had decided to start working on the Kira case. Ukita drove back to the NPA to watch over the phone calls and the mail and Mogi was with Watari organising some paper work from the case. L, Soichiro, Aizawa and Matsuda were in the hotel room watching the tapes Mogi and Ukita had collected yesterday.

"That's all of the security camera footage we managed to find showing the murdered FBI agents. We're lucky we found this much." Aizawa said, exhausted, "We have three of them on camera when they had the heart attacks. Knick Staek was in Gina department store. Raye Pender was on a platform on the Yamanote line. And Nikola Nasberg was in Ikebukuro bank. As for the others, the most we could find was them leaving their hotels rooms."

L nodded, licking his ice-cream cone he had in his hand. He made a loud slurping sound as he swallowed the cold dessert. L stared at the monitors in front of him, studying the screen, watching Raye Pender walking through the train station.

Aizawa continued, watching the monitors in front of him, "That was footage from surveillance cameras at the station. The death of one of the FBI agents is captured on here." Aizawa said tiredly, shaking his head as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Let's see the following scenes again. Raye Penber passing the ticket gate on his way in, then him boarding the train, and finally the part where he dies on the platform." L ordered, licking his ice-cream, as he made a slurping sound.

"Okay. Let's see." Aizawa said, he crouched down on the floor and looked through the tapes in the box.

Matsuda's dark circles looked through the report and he read out tiredly, "Um, so based on the records I have here, Raye Penber comes through the west entrance of Shinjuku station at three eleven PM. Then at three thirteen he boards a train on the Yamanote Line. But even if he was following someone at that time, I think it's going to be difficult for us to draw any real conclusion from this blurry video. Then at exactly four forty-two-" Matsuda glance up at Watari, he offered him an ice-cream cone. Matsuda accepted and said, "Thank you very much Watari." he glanced back at the report in his hand and continued to read out the report, "Um, and at four forty-two PM, he exits the train at Tokyo station and dies on the platform."

"It's quite strange, don't you think?"

"I'm sorry. What do you find strange?" Soichiro asked, glancing down to look at L.

Matsuda perked up and asked, "Yeah. What is it? Did you notice something?"

L took one last lick of his ice-cream before explaining his thoughts, "We know that Raye Penber got on the train, and then an hour and a half later he got off and died on the platform. But Yamanote line only takes an hour to complete its circuit. And more importantly there's the envelope."

"What do you mean?" Aizawa asked. L pointed at the TV with the remote and played the tape.

"He's holding what looks like an envelope when he passes through the ticket gate."

"Oh, you're right! It's there under his arm. But in the footage right before his death, it's gone! I can't believe you actually caught that."

"Well I don't see an envelope on this list of his personal effects." Soichiro said as he looked through the report.

"Which means it was left on the train and if you watch closely the very end here, it seems like he's straining to look inside the train before the door's close. You can see right here."

"If that's the case, do you think it could mean something?"

"Wouldn't it be interesting if Kira was on that train?" L suggested.

"That's impossible."

"I admit I find it hard to believe as well. There's no reason for Kira to come to the scene of his own crime when he can kill from a distance. Well, maybe he was counting on us to make that assumption, and figured he could get away with such a bold move." L said. When he finished speaking he licked his ice-cream, yet again making a loud slurping sound.

"I wonder if E would have noticed that as well." Matsuda wondered out loud.

Aizawa looked at him before shrugging, "Possibly."

"I hope the interviews go well tomorrow. It would be pretty helpful if he worked with us."

"Yeah,"

"I wonder what E looks like? And I wonder how he likes to work."

"Like any other detective." Aizawa answered.

"The Kira investigation gave us the opportunity to work beside L and possibly E."

"Are you saying you're glad Kira appeared?" Aizawa questioned in annoyed tone. He frowned at him.

Matsuda hands flew up in defence, "No! I was just saying-"

"Yes it's true we got the opportunity to meet L, but right now let's concentrate on these tapes." Soichiro cut in, ending the argument.

"Right Chief."

* * *

Its nine fifty-eight AM and everyone from the task force, including Watari were standing outside room 1125 at the Naito hotel. They had to wait two minutes before they were allowed to enter the room. L had decided to enter the hotel with a mask over his face. Just in case the cameras caught his face.

"This is so exciting! But nerve wrecking at the same time." Matsuda confessed, he noticed his hands were shaking.

"It would be interesting if we met E today." Soichiro commented.

"Yeah, the sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can continue working on the Kira case." Aizawa muttered with his arms crossed over his chest.

L turned his head to look at Aizawa, with his mask over his face and asked, "You do not like E?"

"I don't."

"Why is that?"

"Because he's been making us do these pointless tasks just so he can work with us."

"To be fair, E doesn't want to work on this case. Clearly, he's taking his time out of his work for us. We should be careful what we say and act, because he might refuse to work with us. And if that happens all of our work in the past two days would have been a waste of time."

Aizawa sighed in annoyance, yet in defeat and said, "You're right."

"How do you feel about being interviewed Ryuzaki?" Matsuda asked.

"Perfectly fine,"

"Have you ever been interviewed before?"

"No."

"I wish I was as calm as you. When I did my first job interview I was really nervous, a wreck, like right now." Matsuda wiped his suddenly clammy hands on his trousers.

"There is no reason to be nervous."

"I feel like I would be the reason E will refuse to work with us."

"Do not worry. Aizawa will most likely be the reason."

Aizawa looked over at L and grunted in annoyance.

Soichiro checked the time on his wrist. His watched read ten AM. Soichiro glanced back at the men and said. "It's time."

Soichiro stepped forward and opened the door. Everyone followed him inside. The room was a normal looking fancy hotel room the men have been working in recently with L. The men glanced around the room, unsure what to do, while L waited for E orders.

"Please take a seat."

The men heard E's synthetic voice loud and clear in the room, but they didn't see him in the flesh. The task forced walked in further into the room and took a seat on the couches. Watari and L sat together. L pulled his knees up to his chest and waited for E to continue.

"I will interview each of you separately in the room on your left." E said. The men looked at the closed door on their side.

"Now could-"

"Wait!" Aizawa cut in, he stood up from his seat and asked. "Are you in Japan?"

"I am."

"Are you in this hotel right now?"

"I'm not."

"Where-"

"I'm the one who should be interviewing you, not the other way around." E interrupted. Even though E was using an electronic device to change the sound of his voice, L could hear the annoyance in his tone.

"Fine," Aizawa sat back down on his seat.

"Now, could Motchi please enter the room."

Mogi stood up and walked into the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

It's been two hours since the first interview with Mogi had started. So far everyone from the NPA has been interviewed. At this moment Watari was in the room being interviewed. The only person who hasn't been interviewed yet was L. L was certain E was saving him for last.

The door to the interview room opened and Watari stepped out, closing the door behind him.

"How was it Watari?" Matsuda asked, eager to know.

"I believe it went well." Watari replied as he took his original seat beside L.

Matsuda fiddled with his fingers nervously, "That's good. I think I did badly."

"Can you stop going on about your interview already?!" Aizawa demanded, sounding frustrated.

"L." they heard E call. L stood up, he was about to walk into the room but he stopped in his tracks when E announced. "You will be interviewed in another room."

"Huh?" everyone said in unison, confused by the declaration.

"Which room would you like me to go?" L asked.

"When you leave this room there is a door on the right. Please enter the room."

"Alright,"

L walked out of the living room as everyone watched him leave. Once he was gone, they looked away and Matsuda asked.

"I wonder why E wants to interview L in a different room."

The men shrugged in response.

L saw the white wooden door on the right, he reached his hand forward and clasped the door knob and opened it. L took a step and walked inside the room, closing the door behind him.

L examined the room. It was dark. There was no furniture in the room, nothing. It was completely empty, except for the computer and the cell phone in the middle of the room.

"Please take a seat in front of the computer and I will explain my instructions." L heard E say over the speakers.

L followed E's orders. He walked over to the computer and took a seat on the floor. Once L was comfortable, he took off his mask and set it to the side beside him. L decided to take his mask off because he wanted E to trust him so he could start working with them. L was certain after the interview E would start working on the Kira case with him.

"Your interview will be different."

L arched an eyebrow, "How so?"

"I want you to solve a case."

L nibbled at his thumb nail curiously and asked. "Why?"

"I will explain my reasoning after you pass. _If you pass_."

"Alright, what case do I have to solve?"

Suddenly, the computer switched on, the bright light hit L's eyes. L blinked a few times, his eyes adjusting to the light. Once L's eyes adjusted to the bright light, he read the information on the screen.

"Unlike the other small, easy tasks I set you and your team, this case is difficult. Very interesting,"

"And you want me to solve it." L said as a confirmation than a question.

"Yes. You have three hours to solve this case. Good luck."

L started working.

* * *

"I wonder what's taking so long." Ukita murmured, his head resting on the palm of his hand.

"It's been nearly two hours since Ryuzaki started his interview." Aizawa pointed out.

"I'm sure E is interviewing Ryuzaki differently than he interviewed us." Watari explained.

"Yeah, you might be right."

* * *

Its two forty-five PM. L has been working on this case for two hours and fifty minutes. E was right, this case was difficult, but not too difficult that L couldn't solve. Since L started working on this case, E hasn't spoken a word. L thought he would speak again after he solves this case.

L made one last call and confirmed the men have been arrested and are now being taken away.

"E." L called after he ended the call, "I've solved the case."

"Well done. You may leave."

"What will you do now?"

"I will explain everything once you enter the living room with everyone else."

"Very well,"

L left the room and entered the living room he was in earlier. When he entered he saw Ukita and Matsuda lying down on the couch while everyone else sat up straight waiting for him. When they heard L entering the room, everybody heads shot up and looked at L and they instantly started shooting questions at him.

"What happen?"

"What took you so long?"

"Is E working with us now?"

L took a seat next to Watari and said, "E will explain everything now."

"Gentlemen." they heard E say over the speakers. Everyone closed their mouths and listened to him carefully.

"You have passed all three tasks."

Matsuda sat back and sighed in relief.

"Are you working with us now?" Soichiro asked.

"I am."

This time everyone sighed in relief, Matsuda grinned and L looked unaffected by the news.

"When can we meet you?"

"Today at four PM, in the Ringo hotel, I will be in room 504." E notified and that was the last few words he said.

Everybody stayed silent while Matsuda looked at everyone with a Cheshire cat grin and said, "We're going to meet E!"

* * *

Once E informed the men when and where to meet him, they all left the Naito hotel and travelled to the Ringo hotel. They had arrived at the hotel at three forty-seven PM. The woman at the reception desk let them through, they took the elevator to the fifth floor and they walked over to room 504.

"Woah… I can't believe we're going to meet E." Matsuda said grinning as they all walked down the hall, walking over to the room.

"I don't see the big deal." Aizawa muttered.

"What do you mean?" Matsuda looked at him with surprise, "E is the greatest detective in the world!"

"So is Ryuzaki."

"I guess, but still, how many people can say they met the two greatest detectives in the world?"

"No one," L said.

Aizawa and Matsuda turned their heads to look at L and waited for him to continue, "To keep you safe I suggest you don't mention to anyone you ever met L and E. You do not know what people would do to you to get that information out of you."

Aizawa understood L while Matsuda thought about his words for a few seconds, "You're right, but Ryuzaki," Matsuda looked at him. "Aren't you excited about finally meeting E?"

"I wouldn't say excited."

"What word would you describe it?"

L thought for a moment and said, "Interesting."

"Come on everyone, let's meet E and make a good first impression." Soichiro said.

Matsuda nodded excitedly and they reached room 504 and stood outside the room. Soichiro raised his fist and knocked on the door. They heard someone call out. "It's unlocked. Please let yourselves in."

Soichiro clasped the door knob and opened the door. Soichiro was the first to walk inside the room and everyone followed behind. Ukita was the last to enter and he closed the door behind him. The men stood patiently and waited for E to appear. Suddenly, they saw a figure walk out from behind the wall. The first thing everyone noticed was a pair of pink pants.


	5. Chapter 5 Female

Chapter 5: Female

Pink pants.

That was the first thing the men noticed from the figure in front of them.

The task force continued to study the figure in front of their eyes. The men saw a pair of pale naked feet, covered by pink faded jeans with a white loose, long-sleeved shirt.

Their gaze continued to elevate up until their eyes reached the persons head. Their light brown, chestnut hair was worn up in a _very_ messy ponytail/bun. It was difficult to tell the type of hairstyle they had. The best name the men could come up with was bed hair.

The men looked over the person facial features, they had a soft pale face with light pink, pursed lips and they had a small button nose.

The eyes.

It was frightening to look at the person directly in the eye. There were many words to describe those eyes who stared at the task force, but the perfect word to describe those eyes were loathe. The eyes were almost the shade of a raven eyes, dark, distant and distaste, as if those eyes despised the men in the room.

The men from the NPA couldn't take the intensity of those eyes after a few seconds of eye contact. It was unsettling to look at any longer, so they looked away. After only a few seconds of eye contact they knew three things from those eyes. They were a little tired with faint circles under the eyes. They were analysing the men, rapidly, like a super computer. And lastly, they weren't happy.

But there was no mistake.

E was a girl.

A young girl, she was at least in her twenties.

Did they walk into the wrong room?

"I am E."

It took the men a good minute of just staring at the girl before they gasped. Matsuda gawk at the girl in absolute shock, his mouth hanging wide open while the men stared at the young girl, dumbfounded, (they all made sure to avoid her eyes though). Aizawa, Mogi and Ukita exchanged looks, not sure if this was a joke or not. L stared at E for a completely different reason. He was fascinated by her.

"Huh?" Ukita said, baffled by E's appearance.

"This is E?" Aizawa questioned. He thought this might be a trick by the real E.

Matsuda leaned over to Aizawa and put his hand over his mouth, "I thought E was a man, not a girl." he whispered to Aizawa so only he could hear, but it was pointless, E heard him.

"Yes, I am in fact a female."

It was quiet for a moment. They continued to stare at her in silence. Nobody knew what to do next.

Soichiro cleared his throat and introduced himself, "Hello E, I'm Juro Asashi." he was the first one to break the silence.

Aizawa followed Soichiro example, "I'm Aihara-" he started, but he was cut off by E.

"No need for fake names. I already know your true identities." E explained, monotone.

"You know our real names?" Aizawa asked with a frown on his face.

"Yes, but do not worry if I were Kira you already have been dead."

Nobody said anything, they continued to stare at her, mouth gaping.

E rolled her eyes and turned around and walked into another room. "Please follow me."

After a moment of standing still, they finally moved their legs and followed E. Before they walked into the room E ordered, "Please turn off all your cell phones, handhelds and any other communication devices and leave them on the table right there."

A flash of déjà vu crossed the men faces. That was what L had ordered them to do when they first met him.

"She kinda reminds me of Ryuzaki." Matsuda murmured, but everyone ignored him.

Aizawa questioned, his tone rose a little, "What do you think? We're going to be using our cell phones to leak information about you?"

E's answer took everyone by surprise.

"Yes."

For some particular reason Aizawa, Ukita and Matsuda thought E was going to say. _"No. I just find them distracting. I can't stand it when people cell phones are ringing while I'm trying to talk."_

"Maybe she's not like Ryuzaki." Matsuda mumbled to himself as he set his cell phone down on the coffee table.

"E is acting as if she doesn't trust us." Ukita pointed out.

"I don't."

The seven men turned their heads to look at E. E made her way over to the single couch and sat down, raising her legs and crossing them, sitting in a cross-legged position. L, Watari and Soichiro could tell there was some sort of aura surrounding her. E was hostile towards the men.

"Please take a seat."

The task force followed and took a seat next to each other on the couches. Matsuda looked at E. He thought she sat a little bit normal than L. Aizawa kept his eyes on E the whole time, sending daggers at her. And L continued to stare at E, never looking away.

E noticed L's stare and met his gaze, dark eyes studying each other, not blinking once. Any other normal person would have looked away by now by the intensity of their eyes, but they never looked away. L stared at E with fascination while E stared at him with annoyance.

"Why are we here then when you clearly don't trust us?" Aizawa asked.

E broke the eye contact between her and L and turned her attention on Aizawa. "Because you passed the tasks I set you all. Just because you passed the tasks does not mean you gained my trust."

"But I thought by doing those tasks we were earning your trust?" Matsuda said with confusion.

"You thought wrong. I set those tasks to see how well you all work."

"Huh?"

E began to explain, "The first task, I set it because I wanted to observe how well you all work together as a team. The second task, I set that one because I wanted to see how good you were at analysing tapes. Not very good may I add." Aizawa frowned, "Luckily L noticed Akako Ginjiro. And the last task, the interviews. The main purpose of that task was because I only wanted to interview L."

"What?" the NPA members said in unison. Some were insulted.

L asked curiously, "What purpose did you have to only interview me?"

"I wanted to test your ability to make sure you really were L."

Before L could reply E said, "To be completely honest I'm not pleased about working on the Kira investigation with you."

Aizawa lost his temper.

He stood up from his seat and yelled, "Then why are you working with us?! Why were you wasting our time in the past two days?! Why did you even show us your face when you don't trust us?"

"Which question would you like me to answer?" E asked.

Aizawa gritted his teeth for a second to control his temper, "The last one."

"I gave you my word. After you complete all my tasks I will reveal my face to you all."

"Alright, you showed us your face. You don't trust us and I don't trust you. You don't need to work with us, we don't need you."

"Aizawa…" Matsuda murmured in a worried tone. Matsuda looked over at L, trying to tell him to stop Aizawa before he says something wrong. But L wasn't looking in his direction. He was watching the fight.

"Please let him finish." E said, she reached into her pocket and pulled out an elastic band and started to play with it.

Aizawa clenched both of his fists tightly in order to calm down. He didn't like how E was acting. "I don't get it!" he yelled. "Why are you working on the Kira investigation when you don't want to?"

"As I said before-"

"No!" Aizawa cut in, "Tell me the real reason!"

"Please leave this room."

"Huh?" everyone stared at E in shock, startled by her words.

"What?" Aizawa asked. He stared at her with confusion.

"I do not appreciate your tone. Leave. Now."

Aizawa teeth bared and his fists clenched as he glared at E. He yelled before leaving the room, "Fine!" he storm out of the hotel room and slammed the door behind him.

Everybody remained silent, unsure what will happen next.

"I apologise for Aizawa's behaviour." Soichiro apologised. He bowed his head.

"No need to apologise."

"Um… E?" Matsuda addressed her nervously.

"Yes?" E replied quietly as she continued to play with the elastic band in between her fingers. Her expression varied between boredom and annoyance.

"Are you still going to work with us?"

E nodded slowly staring at the elastic band cross-eyed. "I am."

"Oh good," Matsuda sighed in relief, "In that case what should we call you while you work on the Kira case with us?"

"You may address me by Brooklyn."

The Japanese men in the room raised an eyebrow at the unusual name. L looked at E and said, "That's an English name."

"I'm aware."

"Because we're in Japan you should choose a Japanese name."

"Do I look Japanese to you?" E asked, glancing away from her band to look at L with a raised eyebrow.

"No, but I do not look Japanese, but I still chose a Japanese name."

"Hm…" she thought about it for a moment before agreeing, "Alright," E looked at the men and said. "Toshiko."

"Toshiko?"

"Yes, that will be my name."

"Toshiko." L said, "When are you planning to start working with us?"

E wrapped the band around her index finger and answered, "Tomorrow."

The men were a surprised by E's answer. The way E has been acting they thought she would start working with them in a few days.

"Are you planning to come over to the hotel I'm staying in and work on the Kira case and travel back to your hotel to rest?"

"No." E said, "I will stay in one hotel at all times. I will not travel to your hotel then back to mine. Waste of time." E turned her eyes towards L, "If it's alright with you I will be staying with you."

"Perfect, I would have suggested you staying with me."

Even if E disagreed to move into the same hotel as L he would have found a way to make her move with him. E had made his job easier.

E stared at her hand as she played with the elastic band as she said quietly, "Marilyn will be accompanying me."

Matsuda eyes widened as he remembered about Marilyn, "Oh yeah! Where's Marilyn?"

E reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone and dialled a number, "Could you please come to the room?" once E heard their reply she ended the call. "Marilyn will arrive in a moment."

* * *

Marilyn stood next to E.

Marilyn was a woman. An older woman, she must be between forty-five to fifty, she was stunning for her age, anyone could tell she grew old gracefully. Marilyn has chocolate brown eyes with curly blonde hair. She wore a usual business/police woman clothing, a white button up shirt over a black blazer and a black skirt ending to her knees and a pair of heels.

Marilyn bowed and said politely, "It's a pleasure to meet you all."

L looked around the room and watched everyone's expression. Soichiro, Mogi and Ukita bowed their heads in greeting. Matsuda stared at Marilyn with puppy dog eyes, a blush appeared on his cheeks. L shook his head, rolling his eyes and noticed Watari's expression, he looked… surprised.

_Watari seems surprised. I wonder why? _

L turned his head to look at Marilyn. She was smiling gently at everyone, but when her eyes met Watari's, her eyes widened in shock and her mouth turned into an 'o'.

_Do they know each other?_

"You're Marilyn?" Matsuda asked, double checking.

Marilyn torn her eyes away from Watari and looked at Matsuda, replying to his question, "I am."

Matsuda rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he blushed brightly, "Nice to meet you."

Marilyn smiled, "The pleasure is mine."

L looked back at Watari and observed his behaviour. Watari continued to stare at Marilyn as if he couldn't believe she was standing right there. After a few seconds Watari glanced over at E and stared at her curiously. Suddenly his eyes widened in recognition. Watari glanced back at Marilyn then back at E, he's mouth hang slightly open, he was gaping at them.

L was the only one who noticed his behaviour.

L must ask Watari later on why he was behaving this way.

Marilyn glanced down at E who continued to play with the elastic band in her hand and said, "E there is a man outside this room. Is there a particular reason as to why he's out there instead of being in here?"

"Yes."

"What would that reason be?"

"He was impolite."

"Hm…"

"By the way, you may start referring to me as Toshiko."

Marilyn nodded, "Alright Toshiko."

"Does anyone else have any more questions?" E asked. She wasn't looking at them, she stared at her hands.

The men shook their heads.

L looked at E and said, "No, but I do have a request."

"What would that be?"

"May I speak to you alone?"

E shrugged before putting her elastic band away in her pocket, "Yes." she set her feet on the carpet and stood up, "Follow me."

L stood and followed E out of the room. E strolled over to a white wooden door, grasping the door knob and letting herself in, she didn't even bother checking if L entered the room, she knew he would. L walked in and closed the door behind him.

The room was quite nice. There were two toffee brown, single couches and one full couch in the corner of the room and in the middle of the couches was a glass coffee table. On the right side of the room there was no wall, instead of a brick wall it was a large glass window. The window was large enough for a person, they could slide the glass door open and walk through it, but of course it didn't open like that because if it did they would most likely fall and die. All you could see from the window was the bright city lights. It was beautiful how the lights sparkled like stars when it was evening in Tokyo.

E settled in the double couch and sat in the same sitting position she was in earlier in the other room. L took a seat on the single couch and he pulled his knees up to his chest and got comfortable. E looked at him for a moment before glancing away. L noticed E wasn't bothered by the way L preferred to sit. When he first revealed himself to the NPA members they stared at him oddly. But E didn't seem to care, as if she thought his sitting position was completely normal.

"Is there a particular reason as to why you wanted to speak alone with me?" E asked.

L nodded, "I would like you to examine a few notes from Kira."

E looked at him.

L reached into his pocket to pull out three photographs, "These are photographs of three notes written by prison inmates while under Kira's control just prior to their deaths. None of this information has been made public."

"You want me to analyse them." E said, more as a statement than a question.

"Yes, I would like to listen to your opinion on them."

E shrugged and held her hand out for the pictures. L gave them to her. E looked over the photographs and immediately analysed the notes.

L kept his eyes on E the whole time as she examined the photographs. While E read the notes, L analysed E's facial expression and body language. L continued to watch E but it was difficult to judge her reaction towards the notes. E wasn't giving anything away from her facial expression, her face was completely blank. Her body language wasn't giving anything away either, it didn't seem like she was having difficulty coming to a hypothesis as she analysed the notes, as if she was reading a book, relaxed.

"May I take a look at the fourth note?"

L eyes expanded.

_She knows?_

_Remarkable... _L thought. He didn't say it aloud, but it was fascinating, nonetheless.

L slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the fourth photograph. He held his hand out, handing the piece of paper over to E. She took it and read the note.

L's dark-rimmed eyes were staring fixedly at E as he slowly bit his thumbnail carefully that it looked thoughtful. L stared at her with a transfixed expression, totally fascinated by E. To be honest, L was eager to listen to her conclusion.

"'L, do you know Gods of death love apples.'" E murmured, staring at the photograph. L's ears perked up when he heard E speak. He listened to her carefully as E explained, "The sentence I read out is complete, but the second sentence with the print numbers you placed on the back of the notes read out, 'L, do you know? Love apples Gods of death' that sentence does not make any sense, so I assume it's incomplete. That was when I considered a fourth note. 'L, do you know Gods of death who love apples have red hands' but because you did not mention or provide me the fourth note I came to a decision that the fourth note is a fake and the first sentence I read out was the real message from Kira."

"Extraordinary." L mumbled softly, his thumb was resting on his lip as he spoke, "Your deductive skills are impressive. You managed to be correct about everything, even the fake note. I shouldn't expect anything less from E."

"I'm correct when I say you were testing me."

_Amazing._

"Yes, I wanted to be a hundred percent certain that you were truly E. I do hope you do not take it the wrong way." L eyes darkened in concentration as he watched E carefully to determine if she knew he was lying. He waited to hear her next few words.

E shrugged, not bothered by L's actions. "I don't believe this proves I'm E. It proves I'm not Kira."

_Incredible._

"You known all along I wasn't using the photographs to test your identity. All this time you knew that I was testing you to check if you were Kira."

E nodded.

"Your detection skills are quite impressive." L praised, "I believe you are E, not Kira."

E shrugged.

"May I ask you a question?"

"You may."

"Why did you refuse to work on the Kira case, but unexpectedly agreed?" this question has been bugging L, that was why he took this opportunity to ask E right now.

"Marilyn wanted me to work on this case." E answered immediately, not hesitating to answer L's question.

"Do you know why?"

"I do not. That was the first time Marilyn wanted me to work on a case desperately, so I agreed."

"It's because of Marilyn that I was given the chance to meet you?"

"It is."

There was silence between the two detectives. E kept her gaze on her lap, she seemed somewhat distant and distracted while L watched her carefully, noting that she refused to look at him.

"I must say, it was quite a surprise meeting you."

E broke her gaze from her lap and turned to look at L with a raised eyebrow, "Because I'm a female?"

"Yes."

"I do not understand why it's such a shock."

"It's because of the voice you chose to use."

"Really?"

"Yes. You sounded like a man."

"Well, a lot of people do not want to take orders from a woman, so I disguise my voice to sound like a man."

"I do not have anything against women. In fact I found that they have more potential than men. Sixty percent of women investigators complete their assignments successfully than males."

It was true. L did believe women were more capable of completing an assignment more efficient than men. For example Naomi Misora, she did an excellent job completing the Los Angeles BB Murder Cases with him.

"Really? Funny how you did not consider E could be a woman."

_She's sarcastic._ L noted. _Or rude._

"Anymore questions?" E asked.

"Yes, one more. I'm curious as to why the last task was intended for me."

"I did not believe you were L. But…" E looked at him, "When I saw you without the mask and examined the way you worked, you reminded me of someone and that was when I believed you were L."

"Is that person yourself?" L asked.

"…Yes."

* * *

The task force were inside the hotel room where L was staying in for a few days. When L and E finished their discussion, E said her farewell and stayed in the room as L left the room himself. She did not bother to escort her _new_ team out of the hotel, but Marilyn was nice enough to apologise for E's behaviour and escort the men out of the room.

Right after they left the hotel, the men drove back to L's hotel while Ukita drove to the NPA. It was his turn to look after the phone calls and the mail.

The men started working on the Kira case as soon as they walked through the door. At this moment they were discussing about the case. L stood beside a window and stared out the window in a daze while Watari sat in the corner of the room typing on the keyboard before the cell phone started to vibrate in his breast pocket.

"Yes?" Watari said over the phone, "Would you please hold on for a moment?" Watari glanced up to look at L, "Ryuzaki, it's Ukita at the NPA. He says he's on the phone with someone from the tip line who has information for us."

"Right, then give Ukita the number for line five and ask him to have the informant call that line instead, it will be safer that way." L turned his attention to Matsuda. "Mr. Matsuda, its okay for you to turn on your cell phone now. Actually please turn it on right away."

"Uh sure." Matsuda pulled out his cell phone and instantly L snatched the phone from his hand and held the phone with his thumb and index finger, as if it held some sort of disease, "Yes, this is Suzuki, head of Kira's investigation public information division." L had mimicked a middle aged, office man, with their professional rushed introduction. He paused to listen to the other line and repeated. "Raye Penber's fiancé," L turned to face Watari and said, "Naomi Misora."

Watari typed swiftly on the keyboard and a photograph of an attractive Japanese woman came up. It read that she was a former FBI agent but she gave up her career to marry Raye Penber. L recognised her but the recognition on his face faded quickly. He ended the call and turned to the other investigators.

"Well, apparently she's been missing since the day after her fiancé died."

"I'm sure that anyone in her situation would be pretty depressed. Was it…?" Matsuda trailed off.

"Suicide?" Aizawa finished.

"No. The Naomi Misora I knew was strong. Not to mention she was also an excellent FBI agent. If anything its more likely she'd be trying to catch Kira. It appears she came to Japan with Penber it's possible she may have found a lead." L murmured. He rested his thumb on his lips. "Everyone from this point on I'd like to focus our investigation on only those people Raye Penber was tailing. In particular he was assigned to two police officers and those closest to them."

"Very well," Soichiro said, "Who are these two individuals he was investigating?"

L looked over his shoulder and answered, "Deputy Director Kitamura, along with Detective Superintendent Yagami and their families."

Soichiro gasped at the information as he stared at L with wide, shocked eyes as if he couldn't comprehend the information he was just given.

L turned right around to face the men and said.

"At this stage I'd like to place wiretaps and surveillance cameras in both households."

* * *

~Author's Note~

E is a girl!

Why am I pointing this out now?

I didn't leave a note from me last chapter because first: I think that chapter was a cliffhanger. You don't write notes on a cliffhanger, do you? Second: I didn't have the energy. I was a short supply of sugar that day.

Now from this point on the real part of this story begins, which I'm pretty excited about! I can't wait to start posting the chapters now because of E. What do you think of her so far? Nice, polite, sweet?

Yeah, I'm sure we all know I'm not describing E right now. I'll fix it. Scary, rude, hostile? That sounds better.

Let's end this note with another hilarious joke.

What did the pirate say when he turned eighty?

Aye matey.

I swear, I laughed so hard! People who appreciate this joke laughed with me while others who did not acknowledge how amazing this joke is called me stupid. Rude.


	6. Chapter 6 Snort

Chapter 6: Snort

"I don't see how you can even consider this!" Aizawa shouted, disbelief in his voice, "If it got out we'd have a civil rights scandal on our hands! We'd all lose our jobs!"

"You told me you'd be willing to risk your lives for this investigation but you wouldn't risk your jobs?" L asked matter-of-factly, almost as if he couldn't quite comprehend the information he had just been provided.

"Ryuzaki," Soichiro started sternly. Aizawa and Matsuda could see their Chief was trying to keep his cool. "What are the odds of that Kira is in one of these households?"

L looked up thoughtfully and mumbled softly, mainly to himself. "Maybe ten percent. No, it's closer to five percent."

"Seriously? I'm sorry but it's not worth the risk."

"No." Soichiro said in a gloomy tone. "Of all the people we've investigated so far not one of them seemed even the least bit suspicious. Even if there is only a one percent chance we simply can't afford to ignore it."

"Chief?" Matsuda murmured, genuinely confused.

Soichiro continued like he hadn't been interrupted. "I don't have to tell you how offended I am to learn my family is under suspicion. Having said that, just go ahead with it. And make sure that you install them everywhere. I don't want any blind spots in the house and that includes the bathroom."

L nodded in appreciation, "Thank you very much. That was my intention."

"Come on Chief!" Aizawa said, trying to reason with Soichiro. "You don't have to agree to this."

"Yeah, he's right!" Matsuda agreed, "Think about your family. You have a wife and a daughter at home, don't you?"

Soichiro whirled around quickly to face Aizawa and Matsuda, "Yes, I'm well aware of that fact! But there's no point in doing any of this if we can't be thorough." he yelled, outraged. "Now I suggest you keep quiet!"

Matsuda hung his head low and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Soichiro sighed, "No. It's okay. Excuse me."

"As a courtesy to the Chief and his family, only he, Toshiko and I will conduct surveillance on their home." L glanced over at Watari. "Watari, how long will it take to prepare the wiretaps and cameras we need?"

"Well, starting tomorrow, I can set them up at any time provided we know when both houses will be empty."

"Wait E- I mean Toshiko will be working with you?" Matsuda asked.

L looked over at Matsuda and answered, "Yes. Toshiko did say she will start tomorrow."

Matsuda brighten up, "Woah! The two greatest detectives in the world working together! How exciting!"

"Shut up Matsuda, this is serious." Aizawa said in a tired, annoyed tone.

Matsuda gaze sank to the floor and he muttered, "Sorry."

* * *

It's been over eight hours since everyone (mostly everyone) agreed to place wiretaps and surveillance cameras in Deputy Director Kitamura and Soichiro Yagami homes. Right at this moment Watari was in Soichiro house, placing wiretaps and cameras in his home. Watari had already done Deputy Director Kitamura home earlier on today, all he had to do now was plant cameras in the kitchen and he was done.

E hasn't arrived to the hotel yet. She didn't specify what time she was going to arrive but L thought she would have arrived by now. It is four in the afternoon after all. The day was practically over (for those who will sleep tonight).

L's cell phone vibrated in his pocket, he fished it out and answered. "Yes?"

"I placed the wiretaps and cameras in both households." Watari reported.

"Good, please come back to the hotel."

"Okay."

L ended the call and glanced up to look at Aizawa and Matsuda and he notified them, "Watari has finished placing wiretaps and cameras in both households." L looked at Aizawa. "You may start observing Deputy Director Kitamura household."

Aizawa nodded and stood up from his seat, walking inside the other room to start examining Deputy Director Kitamura family. Meanwhile, Matsuda stayed behind as he continued to set up the monitors in L, E and Soichiro's room, where they will be watching Soichiro's family.

"Ryuzaki?" Matsuda called. The young man was seated on the floor next to the monitors, sitting in a cross-legged position as he held a wire in his hand.

"Yes?" L answered from the couch as he popped a piece of chocolate in his mouth.

"Where's Toshiko? I thought she was going to start working with us today."

L munched on his treat and replied, "I don't know where Toshiko is."

"Do you think she's going to come?"

L didn't answer.

They ended their _conversation_ after that and they continued on their current task in silence. Matsuda resumed plugging the wires into the monitors while L finished eating his box of chocolates.

L heard the entrance door unlock and close once again. L assumed it was Watari who entered the room.

"Look who I found outside the hotel." Watari announced as he walked over to L.

L glanced away from his empty box of chocolates and saw Marilyn walking beside Watari with a briefcase in her hand. Watari also carried two similar briefcases in both hands.

"Hello." Marilyn greeted with a kind smile. "I brought Toshiko's equipment. I'm going to go and gather the rest of our belongings."

"That's alright. Matsuda will assist you."

Matsuda's head shot up when he heard his name and he squeaked, "Of course! I'll go and get your stuff right away!" he quickly stood up and tripped over a wire. Matsuda laughed nervously. Marilyn thanked Matsuda and he smiled shyly, rubbing the nape of his neck as he left the room.

L glanced up and stared at Marilyn. Marilyn noticed his stare and she glanced down to be face to face with him. Marilyn had a feeling L was going to ask where E was.

"Where's Toshiko?"

"I don't know."

L raised an eyebrow, "You don't?"

"Yes. I was in the boot of the car, gathering our belongings when I noticed she disappeared." Marilyn smiled reassuringly when she noticed L's unsure expression, "Do not worry, she's fine, she usually does this." Marilyn set the briefcase down on the floor and said. "Well then, I should head downstairs and show the young man where the car is."

"I'll come and help." Watari said walking beside Marilyn, she smiled and they left the room together.

L was not happy. Finally, E arrived to the hotel to start working with him and yet, she isn't here. Where could she be? Isn't she paranoid about being seen by people, by Kira?

A few minutes had past and since then L had gone to the kitchen and cut himself a slice of strawberry cake. L was seated on his seat, shovelling pieces of cake into his mouth. Shoving the last piece of cake in his mouth, L heard the entrance door open. L assumed it was Watari, Marilyn and Matsuda entering the room with the rest of E's belongings. L set his plate down on the coffee table and turned his head to look at them to see what they had in their hands, but he was mistaken.

It wasn't Watari, Marilyn nor Matsuda.

It was E.

L stared at her. E looked the same as yesterday. She wore the same white shirt, the same pink faded jeans and she had the same messy hair. L focused on her face and saw a lollipop bulging in her right cheek. L looked at her eyes and noticed her eyes weren't as dark as yesterday, they weren't as intimidating either. In fact, they looked bored.

E walked towards L casually and stood in front of him. L glanced up to look at her.

E pulled the lollipop out of her mouth and asked in a bored tone, "What are we doing today Mr. Ryuzaki?"

Strangely, L didn't like being addressed as 'Mr. Ryuzaki' by E. E had made him sound older the way she had said it.

"We are going to monitor Mr. Yagami household."

"Fun." E responded unenthusiastically. L could tell she was being sarcastic, but L noticed E didn't ask why they were going to observe Soichiro's family. Wasn't she interested? L guessed no.

"Where were you?" L decided to go ahead and ask the question.

E pulled something behind her back and held a white plastic bag in front of L's face, "I got this."

L eyes widen slightly in surprise as he stared at E with astonishment. He could have sworn she entered the room with nothing in her hands. L pressed his thumb to his lip in interest and asked. "What is it?"

"A few things I need while we watch TV." E said, somewhat sarcastically. She then glanced around the room and asked. "Where's the kitchen?"

"Down the hallway on the right side corner," L answered and asked, "Why?"

E nodded and she popped the lollipop back into her mouth. She walked away and strolled over to the kitchen, totally ignoring L's question.

L continued to stare at E as she disappeared through the door. For the first time in his career, no in his life, L wasn't sure how to communicate with E. She's conundrum, distant and uninterested by everything around her. Working with E might be a little more difficult than he had originally thought. L has never worked with a character like E before and he wasn't sure how to go about with her.

* * *

L and Soichiro were in the room where they will be examining Soichiro's family for the rest of the week. The curtains were closed which made the room dark, the only light in the room was the brightness from the monitors. L and Soichiro were seated in front of the monitors as they analysed the footage. In between them there was an empty seat, where E was supposed to be seated on right now. They'd decided to start monitoring the Yagami household without E, mainly because they couldn't find her. L wondered where E had disappeared to again. L hasn't seen her since she went to the kitchen, but shortly after E disappeared to the kitchen, Watari, Marilyn and Matsuda came back to the room with E's belongings and they started to unpack E's and Marilyn's equipment. That was over thirty minutes ago. E was nowhere in sight.

"Ryuzaki." Soichiro said, his head facing the monitors. He had his fists tightly tightened on his lap.

"Yes."

"If you find anything suspicious in my home what will you do afterwards?"

"Investigate Mr. Yagami."

"How so?"

"I will investigate the person I find suspicious and watch their movements until I see how they kill-"

L stopped in the middle of his sentence when he heard the door open. Soichiro and L glanced away from the monitors and turned to face the door. What they saw right in front of them was E, pushing the door open with her foot, turning the knob with the hand that had been securing a bag of marshmallows under her arm. E held the bag of marshmallows in one arm while the other balanced a plate with a slice of chocolate cake and a glass of milk on it and lastly, finishing the total look was a donut hanging from her mouth. She pushed the door wide open, letting herself in then kicking the door close with her foot. E made her way to her seat between Soichiro and L and sat down, cross-legged. E set her bag of marshmallows and her plate of chocolate cake down on the coffee table.

All this time L and Soichiro haven't taken their eyes off the girl. E ignored the men stares as she finished eating the donut that had been hanging from her mouth and settled into work.

L and Soichiro continued to stare. Soichiro stared at the girl in shock, properly wondering how such a young girl could eat that much food, while L rest his thump on his lower lip, staring at E with an expression that could only be described as fascination.

"Shall we start?" E said as she tore the bag of marshmallows open. She reached her hand inside the bag and grabbed a pink marshmallow between her fingers. E stared at the treat for a moment before popping it into her mouth.

"How did you do that?" L asked.

"Please be specific Mr. Ryuzaki."

"Carry all those objects at once?"

"Years of practice." E simply replied as she inspected the marshmallow between her thumb and index finger with boredom.

"You could have brought the bag of marshmallows into the room first and then brought in the cake and the glass of milk afterwards."

E arched an eyebrow, "And why would I do that?"

"It would have been easier."

"It wasn't necessary."

"May I ask why?"

"Because Mr. Ryuzaki." E paused for a moment before replying confidently. "I have great stability."

_Um… it seems E can be quite lazy._

L had concluded E was that type of person who was too lazy to make double trips.

"Please, just call me Ryuzaki." L said. He had ordered himself to remember the next time E addresses him as _Mr. Ryuzaki_, he would ask her not to.

E took another bite of her marshmallow and answered, "Alright Ryuzaki." she chewed and swallowed.

"His home!" Soichiro exclaimed, leaning forward in his seat. L and E glance up at the many monitors in front of them and observe Light's movements.

Light had just entered the house and walked up the stairs. L inspected Light's movements with his thump placed on his lower lip while E leaned forward and shoved a fork full of cake in her mouth. She was uninterested by the sight in front of her.

Light departed from his room, but instead of closing the door behind him and leaving like any other normal teenager would do. He instead stooped down and grabbed a piece of paper that had fallen from the floor earlier on and placed the small piece of paper in the door again.

"I don't believe it. I never knew he went to such great lengths. What could he be hiding in there that he doesn't want anyone else to see?" Soichiro pondered out loud. L shrugged as if Light's behaviour wasn't strange to him.

"For a seventeen year old kid I wouldn't say this kind of behaviour is particularly abnormal." L's voice went slightly deeper. "When I was his age I did strange things too."

Suddenly Soichiro and L heard a sound, a sound you would make with your nose, as someone would call it, a snort. And this snort came from someone in this room, someone sitting right between them.

Soichiro and L turned their heads to look at E. She was happily munching on her cake. E didn't acknowledge their stares, even though she knew they had their eyes on her. A few seconds had passed before they'd decided to look away and focused their attention back on the screens.

Soichiro had decided to forget about the sound, he thought the sound was from his imagination. To Soichiro there was no way E would ever snort, she was a very serious young girl, very different from his daughter, Sayu.

But to L, he does think E did in fact _snort,_ but it was hard to tell by her expression, she looked very serious at the moment. But L dropped the topic. It wasn't important to the Kira investigation, but it would have been interesting if the sound did come from E.

"Have you ever talked to your son about the investigation?" L had decided to ask Soichiro.

"Of course not. I've never once revealed classified information to my family." he said defensively then sighed apologetically. "Besides, I don't get to see them too often these days and usually as soon as I get home all I can do is sleep."

"I understand." L answered. He continued to examine the screens in front of him.

* * *

"I can't believe that my son is looking at those magazines." Soichiro yelled, outraged. Once again L wasn't surprised by Light's behaviour.

"It's normal for a seventeen year old," L replied, "But it seems contrived. It's too obvious. The reason he didn't want anyone in his room was because he had these magazines? That's what he wants us to think."

"Hey, that's my son you're talking about." Soichiro said, back on the defensive. "Are you honestly telling me that you suspect him?"

"I do suspect him." L stated firmly. "That's why I placed wiretaps and surveillance cameras in your house and the Deputy Director's house."

Soichiro glanced away from L and set his eyes on E, "And you? Do you suspect Light?" he asked, hoping E would say 'no' but that was highly unlikely.

E, who was sucking on a lollipop pulled the sweet out of her mouth and answered. "I do not suspect anyone at the moment Mr. Yagami."

L turned his head to look at E and focused his attention on her. "Why is that?"

"Because today it's my first day working on the Kira investigation. I have no reason to suspect anyone."

"Didn't you read the reports we have so far on this case?" Soichiro asked.

"I have."

"Why don't you suspect mine and Deputy Director Kitamura families?"

"I have a certain way of working Mr. Yagami. At the time I wasn't working on this case. Now I am. I would like to observe everything for myself."

"Seems fair enough." L commented and he looked back at the screens, so did Soichiro. "Oh, Light..." he muttered disappointedly.

* * *

Soichiro and L continued to monitor the Yagami household. Earlier Marilyn came in the room and set a bowl of popcorn on the coffee table and went back to work. E took the bowl and the golden syrup from her back pocket and poured the syrup heavily on the popcorn. E was completely ignoring the monitors. Anyone could clearly tell E didn't want to be here. She was properly thinking to herself how she could have been working on four different cases right now if she didn't waste her time watching TV. To put it clearly, she was bored.

L looked over at E curiously. He watched her pour the syrup onto the popcorn. "Toshiko?"

E hummed in response, a vague invitation to continue.

"Is there a particularly reason why you're not observing the Yagami family?"

"Yes."

"Oh." L arched an eyebrow. "What would that reason be?"

E finally glanced away from her popcorn and set her eyes on L and replied. "I'm bored."

Soichiro shot his head towards E when he heard her reply and yelled. "Is this case suppose to entertain you?! Hundreds of people are dying every week because of Kira! He has to be stopped! You have to start putting all your focus on this case! This is why you're here!"

"Mr. Yagami, please control your temper." L said, frowning. E could use this excuse to leave the investigation. She has enough reasons too, Matsuda, Aizawa and Soichiro have yelled at her. L was surprised she hasn't left the investigation yet.

"As you can remember Mr. Yagami, I declined working on this case many times, because I was forced to work with you it doesn't automatically make me interested in this case." E said, totally unaffected by Soichiro words. E was still bored. She popped a piece of popcorn in her mouth, she then looked at L curiously, her eyes wide and dark.

L stared back, wondering why E was staring at him like that. E opened her mouth as though she was about to say something. L was curious as to what she wanted to ask. L continued to stare, waiting for her to speak.

E opened her mouth and said.

"Popcorn?"

"Huh?"

E held out the bowl in front of him. "Popcorn?" she repeated like a child.

L glanced at the bowl then back at E, his expression slightly bewildered. He took a handful of popcorn, looking quite unsure what was going on and eyeing the sweet food as though E had handed him poison. To show that he has manners he said. "Thank you."

E nodded and turned away to face Soichiro and she said, "Popcorn?"

Soichiro glance away from the screens and looked at E with confusion. "Huh? What?"

E held the bowl of popcorn in front of him, "Popcorn?"

Soichiro looked at the treat being offered to him and shook his head. "Oh, no thank you."

E nodded and turned away, shoving a handful of popcorn into her mouth.

Soichiro sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Toshiko, I want to apologise for my behaviour earlier."

"No need to apologise Mr. Yagami."

"No, I'm going to apologise. I'm sorry. I got carried away. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

"Yes, must be the stress from your family being under surveillance." E said. She reached her hand into the bowl and tossed handfuls of popcorn in her mouth and chewed loudly.

When the conversation between E and Soichiro ended L glanced away and looked at the popcorn in the palm of his hand. L picked a piece with his thumb and index finger and inspected the sweet food before popping it into his mouth, he chewed and swallowed the mashed up food.

He looked back at the last few pieces of popcorn in his hand.

He liked it.

_I must remember to notify Watari to prepare me a bowl of popcorn with syrup later on. _

Sayu called Light for dinner. Light and his mother sat on the table eating their dinner while Sayu watched TV, squealing about Hideki Ryuga.

"Hello Mr. Aizawa, are the Kitamuras watching television now?" L asked. Aizawa replied. L nodded and ended the phone call. "Watari," L addressed Watari. "Please contact the broadcasters and tell them to play our message."

"Very well. Understood."

A moment later L, E and Soichiro heard Sayu read out loud the message on the television. Both L and Soichiro eyes flickered to Light. Light disarmed the message quickly with confidence, as if he knew the message was a fake.

L chuckled to himself as he placed his thump to his lip again. "Hm. Your son's clever, isn't he?"

Soichirolooked at L with an unsure expression and replied, "Well, yes."

Light walked back to his room with a bag of potato chips under his arm and a cup of tea in his hand. He closed the door behind him and he sat down on his chair, "Alright. It's time for me to hit the books." he opened the packet of chips and started studying.

It's been a few minutes since Light opened his book and started to study. L and Soichiro haven't taken their eyes off the screens since they started observing Light's behaviour, while E continued to eat her popcorn.

Half way through her popcorn E glance up and looked at the monitors. It was time to look at the screens again. Even though E wasn't interested by the screens in front of her she made sure to look at the monitors every two minutes, just in case something interesting happens.

Something caught her eye.

E set the bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table, keeping her eyes on one screen, shifting forward in her seat slightly to have a better view of the monitor. E had put all her focus on one particular screen.

In the corner of L's eye he noticed E leaning forward in her seat. L glanced away from the screens to look at E. L noticed the change in E. She seems… interested? He kept his eyes on her and continued to observe.

E stood, climbing onto the coffee table like a… gorilla.

E was in a crouched pose-squatting as her knuckles supported her weight on the coffee table, and this was how she walked, like she'd been a wild person like Tarzan.

E climbed off the table and walked (like a gorilla) over to the monitors. She was right in front of the screen, staring intensively at it.

Soichiro perked up, "What's wrong?! What is it?!"

E ignored the man, she continued studying the screen. L on the other hand sat up, his interest piqued, he observed E, staring fixedly at her as he nibbled at his thumb nail. Finally he can watch the famous E in action.

After a few seconds E looked away from the screen, she stood up and quickly grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from the table against the wall. E ran back to the screen and placed the paper on the screen and she started tracing the image. When she was done she examined the paper. Once she was done examining the image she turned around to look at the men. E walked over to them (gorilla style) and held the piece of paper in front of their faces.

"Please look inside the bag of potato chips." E ordered and they followed her orders. "That's a weird looking potato chip. Don't you think?"

The men studied the piece of paper and L noticed one particular chip was square.

L snatched the piece of paper from E's hands and held it with his thumb and index finger as he analysed the picture.

"Extraordinary." L muttered. "You were able to see this. Very impressive."

E ignored L and spoke to Soichiro, "Please explain this to me Mr. Yagami." she looked at him. "Do you know any brand of chips in Japan that are square?"

Soichiro was unsure what E was trying to imply but he answered anyway. "Not that I know off."

"Hm… thank you." E glanced away and snatched the piece of paper back from L. "You may go home Mr. Yagami."

"What?" Soichiro stood up from his seat. "Why?"

"Because Mr. Soichiro Yagami, Chief of the NPA." E said, almost mockingly. "I need you to rest."

Soichiro continued to stare at her until E said, "And I need you to sneak into your son's room." she added quickly.

"What?!" Soichiro exclaimed in absolute shock.

"I need you to sneak into your son's room." E repeated.

"But for what reason?"

E glanced back at the screen and stared at the monitor. She watched Light throw away the bag of potato chips in the trashcan.

"I want you to take that bag of chips from the trashcan and bring it to me." she ordered, her eyes never leaving the monitor.

"Why?"

"There could be a very small TV in that bag."

"What!?" Soichiro exclaimed, his eyes wide. "Do you honestly believe my son would do such a thing?!"

"Yes I do." she looked at him with her black, lifeless eyes. "Please go home and do as I told you."

"Right now?"

"Yes. Please correct me if I'm mistaken but every Friday morning the rubbish men come to your neighbourhood. Am I correct?"

"Err, yes."

"It's Friday tomorrow." E muttered to herself. "Light would most likely throw away the evidence." she turned to face Soichiro. "Please go home right away and please bring the bag here tomorrow morning. Oh, and please take it before your son has the chance to throw it away."

"But why can't I come straight here when I get the bag?"

"Because Mr. Yagami, it would be suspicious if you went home and leave with an empty bag of potato chips. Please rest for tonight and come in tomorrow morning."

Soichiro nodded. Before he got the chance to leave, E said. "Oh and Mr. Yagami." he looked at E, waiting for her to continue. "Please make sure Light doesn't find out you taken his trash."

"Alright." he grabbed the door knob, stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

E sat back down in her original seat. She grabbed her bowl of popcorn from the coffee table and continued to eat.

L faced E, "That was impressive Toshiko."

E ignored his compliment and shoved a handful of popcorn in her mouth.

_Hm… every time I compliment her she ignores me._ _Could she be shy? No, it's likely she thinks I'm lying._

"How did you manage to see the small TV in the bag?"

"It might not be a TV Ryuzaki, it's a definite possibility but it could also be a radio, perhaps a phone? Or I could have been mistaken and it was just a regular potato chip after all."

_Interesting… she's pretty certain it's a TV but she denies it, something I would usually do._

Watari walked into the dark room and stood behind the two detectives. "Ryuzaki." he called.

"Yes, what is it Watari?"

"A few minutes ago a bank clerk being questioned on suspicion of embezzlement and a purse snatcher being held in a detention centre were broadcast on the news. They both just died of sudden inexplicable heart attacks."

"It's Kira." E stated.

"While all of that was happening at the Yagami household, Mr. Yagami wife and daughter were watching television. When that was over they turned the TV off and didn't watch anything afterwards. From just past seven-thirty until now eleven o'clock, Light has done nothing but study. Kira needs a name and a face. Without those he can't kill. So I suppose anyone who didn't watch the news can't be Kira, right?"

E turned to look at L and cocked her head to the side, as in saying 'have you forgotten about the TV in the potato bag already?'

E glanced back at the monitor and said, "It doesn't make sense that Kira would kill two petty criminals right after their identities were broadcast." E paused for a moment and continued. "If there was a TV in the bag then that could mean Light couldn't see it clearly so he murdered any criminal that came on the news, either if the crime was big or small."

L looked at E and said, "Let's continue monitoring the Yagami family."

E nodded. L and E turned their heads towards the screens at the same exact time and analysed the monitors. They both stared at the screens with large, dark eyes as they watched the screens with fascination. Watari looked at the two young detectives curiously for a moment before he turned to leave. Watari left the room with a smile on his face.

* * *

Its seven AM in the morning and L and E stayed up all night watching the Yagami family sleeping in their beds. L was used to staying up for so many hours without rest, but L noticed E seemed a little tired. She has yawned twice now. E must not be an insomniac like himself.

L and E watched Soichiro wake up at six AM. He walked into the bathroom and started getting ready for the day. Later on when everybody was awake, Light brought down his trash and handed it over to his mother. Right after Light gave his trash to his mother, he walked straight back to his room. L and E watched Soichiro take Light's trash from his wife before she had the chance to give it to the men. Soichiro's wife stared at her husband with confusion as he walked out of the house.

Watari brought in L's breakfast. On his tray were two pieces of strawberry cake, a bowl of fruit and a plate of profiteroles. But L wasn't the only one that was brought in breakfast. Marilyn walked into the room with a tray and she set the tray down on the coffee table, in front of E.

L looked over at E's tray and saw, pink candy floss, ice-cream and a bowl filled with a mixture of different candy: candy corn, jelly beans, gummy bears, gummy worms, nerds and skittles.

E reached her hand forward and grabbed a handful of candy from the bowl and shoved the candy into her mouth. She then grabbed the candy floss and started eating the pink candy after she swallowed the chewed up candy.

L stared at her, dumbfounded. He couldn't quite believe there was someone like him that could consume that much sugar without getting sick.

"Do you only eat sweet things?" L asked. A question he never thought he would ask someone.

E looked at L with her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel with acorns in their mouth but instead of acorns, it was candy floss. L was slightly amused by the sight. E swallowed and answered. "I prefer too."

"Extraordinary."

E tilt her head to the side in confusion. "What's so _extraordinary_ about eating sweets?"

L shook his head. "No. You misunderstood me. I was merely surprised. I have never met someone who can consume so much sugar without feeling sick afterwards, someone like me."

E stared at him, slightly disappointed. L raised an eyebrow at the look. E turned her attention back to her food without saying a word and started eating again.

Just then the door opened, L and E looked up to see who entered the room. It was Soichiro. He walked into the room, closing the door behind him. The two young detective's eyes shot towards the plain, plastic bag in Soichiro's hand.

E spring off her seat and ran over to Soichiro. She snatched the bag from his hand and looked inside the bag.

L glanced away from E and looked at Soichiro, "Have you looked inside the bag of potato chips?"

Soichiro shook his head, "No, I grabbed the bag and came straight here."

E reached her hand inside the plastic bag and pulled out the bag of potato chips and she looked inside the bag. L watched her reaction. E stared into the bag for a moment. Slowly a frown appeared on her face. E glanced away from the bag and looked at Soichiro with the same dark eyes L recognised when they first met.

"There's nothing in the bag."

E stated, her tone cold, she did not sound impressed, she was clearly pissed off.

Soichiro let out a sigh of relief, while L continued to watch E.

"Mr. Yagami." E said. Soichiro glanced up to look at E, he only saw her back side, "I noticed you didn't have breakfast." she stated in the same tone. "Please, eat. Marilyn will prepare a meal for you."

Soichiro was about the object when L looked at Soichiro with a look upon his face that said 'please leave'.

Soichiro sighed in defeat and nodded. "Alright." he turned to face the door and left the two detectives alone.

E swirled around to face L. She stared at him with the same dark eyes from yesterday. L stared back, unsure what E's actions will be. L didn't know how E reacts when she's wrong. L himself won't believe he's wrong. He will research until he proves he's right.

E opened her mouth and said.

* * *

~Author's Note~

Who the hell studies for four hours straight? Light, how do you study for four freaking hours? I can't do the whole 'study' thing. I literally study on the day of the test, during my break or five minutes before my test. (I still pass though. Thank the honey monster!) I'm completely serious. I'm what you call a multitasker. I can't sit still and study. It's like my worst nightmare!

Oh yeah, you guys must be wondering what E said. Well, I can't tell you until the next chapter! [rubs hands like a house bee] Yes, I know. I'm eviiiiiiil!

Side note: E noticed the TV in the bag of potato chips and L didn't. I didn't do that to show E is smarter than L because she's not. L and E are at the same level. The reason I wanted E to notice the TV was to show you guys E is in fact smart and she will be interesting during this story.

I shall end this note with a joke.

What did the grape say after the elephant sat on it?

Nothing, it just let out a little whine!

[wipes tear] Man, that was funny! I snorted so loud that I choked a little… so this joke is worthy of my respect!


	7. Chapter 7 Stitches

Chapter 7: Stitches

"Light Yagami is Kira."

Part of L brow raised in curiosity as he really wasn't sure where E was going with this. What was she talking about? There was no TV in the bag of potato chips. Light isn't Kira. E was wrong. What was she thinking?

"How did you come to that conclusion?" L asked, waiting for her to explain.

Slowly, a wide joker-like grin formed on E's lips. L detected something unnatural in her expression. He observed E and noticed her eyes had brighten up with excitement as she continued to smile in a Cheshire cat manner, the grin spreading slowly across her face. It was the smile of a child that had just discovered something new about the universe. L was certain everyone in the hotel room (especially Matsuda) would've be scared/creeped out by E's smile right now. Even L himself felt a shiver go down his spine. She had given him the chills. A minute ago she was furious because her theory about the TV in the bag of potato chips was wrong. Now she was grinning at him?

E reached her hand inside the bag of potato chips and pulled out a mini TV.

L eyes expanded when he saw the small, silver TV firmly grasp in E's right hand. L black-rimmed eyes never blinked as he stared at the object with shock for a moment before he erased the look from his face. But there was no mistake.

E was right.

There _was_ a TV in Light's bag of potato chips. Light was watching TV while he studied last night. Why would he need to hide a TV in his snack? Because he's Kira. Even someone who's not an investigator could tell that much. Light murdered the two criminals that were shown on the news. The only question that remained was how did Light kill the men? That was L's question. Light only studied last night. That only contained reading and writing.

L pressed his thumb to his lip, "You were right."

"I'm always right." E stated, confidence lace through her voice.

"Why did you deceive Mr. Yagami?"

"Because Mr. Yagami loves his son a lot, he won't believe his son is Kira. If I told him his son had a TV hidden in his bag of potato chips, would he believe his son is Kira? No. Mr. Yagami will want more evidence. Like me. This," E held the mini TV in front of L's face, "doesn't prove Light Yagami is Kira. We need more proof, and by the way," E paused and looked at L in the eye. "Your team seems to enjoy arguing with me. They won't believe this TV proves Light Yagami is Kira."

L stared at E with a transfixed expression during her explanation, when she finished explaining her thoughts L slowly brought his thumb to his lip. He thought about her words for a moment before agreeing with her. The men will argue with her if she said Light is Kira with little evidence to show for.

"Hm..." L hummed. "You are correct."

"My work here is done." E said as she set the mini TV on the coffee table.

L pulled his thumb away from his lip and looked at E with confusion. "What do you mean?"

E grabbed a handful of sweets from the bowl and shoved it into her mouth and said with a mouthful of sweets, "I've been working on this case for over twelve hours and I now have a suspect." she swallowed before continuing. "I'm now going to work on my other cases."

"Other cases?"

"Yes."

"Hm..." L thought about it for a moment. He didn't like E was leaving the Kira investigation to work on another case. But because she proved Light could possibly be Kira L had decided to let E work on her other case for a little while.

"Alright, you can work on your other case."

"I wasn't asking for your permission." E grabbed her bowl of sweets and hugged it to her chest and slipped out of the room without a sound, leaving L there in the dark, empty room with his coffee, alone.

"She's going to be difficult." L mumbled under his breath as he watched her leave.

* * *

After E left the room to work on her other case L called Soichiro back into the room so they could continue monitoring the Yagami household. It was one PM and the Yagami household was quiet. Light and Sayu were at school and Sachiko was in the kitchen making dinner. At the moment she was cutting vegetables.

L was seated in front of the monitors with a cup of coffee in his hand as he watched Sachiko chop up the vegetables.

L was bored.

He wondered what E was doing right now. What type of case was she working on? Maybe he should leave for a moment to check what E was doing. No. He shouldn't leave. He needs to stay here and observe the monitors.

L watched Sachiko start washing the vegetables.

It wouldn't hurt if he left for a few minutes to check on E.

L set his cup on the coffee table and hopped of the couch before shuffling off towards the door. "I'm going to check on Toshiko."

Soichiro glance away from the monitors to look at L. "Alright."

L tucked his hands inside his pockets and strolled out of the room. As soon as L left the room he saw Matsuda seated on one of the couches, looking through reports.

"Matsuda."

Matsuda glanced up from the reports and saw L, "Oh! Hi Ryuzaki!"

"Do you know where Toshiko is?"

"Oh," Matsuda thought for a moment, trying to remember the last time he saw E. "Oh, I know! She's in the living room!"

"Thank you." L turned and walked towards the living room and entered the room.

E was seated on the floor, staring at the laptop screen that was set on the coffee table.

"Нашли ли Вы George Harrow местонахождение?"

L recognised the language. E was speaking Russian. She said: "Have you found George Harrow whereabouts?"

E nodded, "В Японии? Вы в России в настоящее время?" she paused to listen to their reply. "Пожалуйста, возьмите первый рейс в Японию."

Translation: "In Japan? Are you in Russia at the moment? Please take the first flight to Japan."

"Toshiko?"

E instantly reacted and pressed a key on the keyboard when she heard L speak. L thought E properly turned the speakers off so the person E was speaking to wouldn't be able to listen to the two young detectives.

E glanced away from the laptop and looked at L with her dark, bored eyes. "Yes?"

"You can speak Russian?"

"I speak a variety of languages."

"How many languages can you speak?" L asked as he stared at E with his large, curious eyes.

"Fifty-six," E answered. "I am currently learning Lithuanian."

"Impressive."

E didn't reply. She was bored with this conversation so she turned her attention back to her laptop and started typing swiftly on the keyboard.

L asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm working."

"May I ask what you are working on?"

"No. It's private."

L nodded slowly, "I understand."

L wasn't sure what else to say to E. To be honest he doesn't really know why he came to talk to her in the first place. Oh yeah. It was because he was bored of watching Sachiko washing vegetables.

"Is there a particular reason as to why you're still here?" E asked as she continued to type on the keyboard.

"No." L answered and he decided to ask. "When do you plan on coming back and work on the Kira case?"

"When you need me," E looked at L in the eye. "Do you need me?"

"…No." he said after a long pause.

"Alright," E glanced back at the laptop screen and said. "Leave."

L stood still in the same spot. He put his hands in his pockets and scratched his calf with his foot as he watched E type rapidly on the keyboard. That's how it was for the last few minutes. E typing on the keyboard while L stood still as he watched her work.

Finally tired of L staring at her, E looked away from the laptop and asked. "Why are you still here?" maybe that would make L speak to her and stop standing there, mute.

L simply shrugged, "No particular reason."

"Hm," E folded her arms. "I thought you had to work on the Kira case?"

"I am working on the Kira case."

"You're not right now."

"I know."

E stared at him for a moment, "So, are you telling me you're free at the moment?"

L stared back with a raised eyebrow, not sure where she was going with this conversation. "I am."

"In that case could you do me a favour?"

L thought about her words for a moment. What could E possibly want from him? She didn't look like the type to ask for help. Maybe she wanted a second opinion on the case she was currently working on. L had decided. He will offer his assistance.

"What is it?"

"Could you…" E paused, staring at L with her raven-like eyes. L stared back, wondering what her request might be. Finally E said.

"Get me a glass of milk?"

* * *

In the end L did go into the kitchen and poured a glass of milk for E. He never thought he would take orders from someone else before. When L handed the glass of milk to E, she thanked him and continued working on her case.

At least she was nice enough to thank him. Looks like she does have manners.

After L handed E her drink he decided to continue monitoring the Yagami household with Soichiro. That was five hours ago. L has been staring at the bright screen for five hours straight. Tonight they found nothing suspicious in the Yagami household. L was considering asking E to come back and work with him.

Suddenly L and Soichiro heard yelling coming from the living room.

Soichiro instantly snapped his head away from the monitors when he heard the yelling from the other room, "What's going on?!" before Soichiro had the chance to run out of the room, L stopped him.

"Mr. Yagami." L called out, calmly.

Soichiro was about to grab the door knob but halt when he heard L address him. He turned right around to face him and asked. "What is it?"

"Please remain here and continue watching the monitors. I'll go and investigate."

Soichiro protested, "But-"

"Mr. Yagami. Please stay put. I'm certain nothing dangerous is happening."

Soichiro sighed in defeat, "Alright."

L set his feet onto the floor and stood up from his seat. Soichiro walked passed L while he walked over to the door. He strolled over to the living room and heard shouting inside the room. L was certain he heard Matsuda's voice.

_Did Matsuda say, "Who are you?!"_ L asked himself.

L opened the door and saw Aizawa and Matsuda holding their guns, aiming it at someone in front of them. L looked straight ahead where the men were pointing their guns at and saw a woman. The woman had raven, black hair, her eyes matched the shade of her hair. The outfit she wore was a leather jacket, fine fitting jeans and a pair of black boots. The woman stood in the middle of the room, staring at the men with no emotion in her face, she wasn't scared of the loaded guns pointing right at her. She stood there, fearless.

"Aihara. Matsui. What's going on?" L asked, addressing them by their fake names as he continued to observe the woman in front of him.

"We walked into this room and saw this woman in here! We have no idea how she got in!" Aizawa yelled, pointing his gun right at the woman.

L glanced back at the woman and studied her. She _almost_ looks like… Naomi Misora.

"Who are you?" L asked.

The woman continued to stare at the men silently.

"Tell us who you are or we'll shoot!" Aizawa yelled.

"Yeah!" Matsuda agreed, aiming his gun at the woman, his hands shook slightly as he clenched the weapon tightly in his shivering hands.

The woman didn't speak a word.

"Aihara, please control yourself." L ordered in a calm tone.

"Who are you? How did you get in? Tell us right now!"

She said nothing.

"Answer us right now or I will shoot!" Aizawa shouted, he slowly pressed the trigger. L noticed and he shouted, "Aihara!"

"Wait! Stop! Please stop!"

Everyone turned around to the door and saw Marilyn running into the room with a panic look on her face. She ran over to the woman and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Toshiko! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Toshiko!?" Aizawa and Matsuda blurted out in surprise.

L peered back at the woman and studied her facial features until his gaze reached her eyes.

They were bored.

L had concluded. The woman in front of him was in fact E.

"Toshiko. Why wouldn't you say who you were to them?" Marilyn asked her eyes were still wide with worry.

E only shrugged in response.

"I know." L spoke up. Everyone turned to look at him (expect for E). "Toshiko was testing you."

"Testing us?" Aizawa and Matsuda repeated slowly in confusion. They waited for L to expand his explanation.

"Yes. She wanted to see if you'll shoot."

Aizawa grunted in annoyance and put his gun away in his jacket while Matsuda asked E. "Why do you look like a completely different person?"

E didn't reply. Marilyn looked at her for a moment before she shook her head when she realised E wasn't going to answer Matsuda's question. Therefore Marilyn decided to answer for her. "It's her disguise."

Matsuda stared at Marilyn with confusion, "Disguise?"

"Why would she need to wear a disguise?" Aizawa asked rudely.

"For her cases. Toshiko always wears a disguise when-"

"That's enough Marilyn." E finally spoke.

Marilyn looked at her and asked, "Are you going out?"

"I am."

Marilyn nodded. "Alright, be careful."

E nodded and took a step forward, walking pass Aizawa, Matsuda and L. L never tore his eyes away from E. He continued to study her. He was in thought. Thinking about something in particular. Something important.

E noticed his stare, she looked at him and said, "Wha-"

"Do you know Naomi Misora?" L cut in, asking his question that has been lingering in his mind for the past few minutes.

E knitted her eyebrows together in confusion, "Naomi Misora?"

By E's reaction towards Naomi Misora name, L concluded E didn't dress as her to mock him.

"She was an FBI agent. Am I correct?"

L stared at E carefully. _So she has heard of __Naomi Misora._

"Yes." he answered.

E glanced up and stared at the ceiling as she spoke, "Naomi Misora worked on the Los Angeles BB Murder Cases with you two years ago." she tore her eyes away from the ceiling and looked at L. "I remember that case. I was very interested in that case when I figured out _Beyond Birthday_ was the murderer."

L eyes widened slightly in surprise at her declaration. He wasn't surprised that E heard about the case, she is a detective after all, but she somehow knows about Naomi Misora and Beyond Birthday and by the sound of it, it seems E knows more about Beyond Birthday than she's letting on.

_I was very interested in that case when I figured out Beyond Birthday was the murderer._

Does E know about B?

E walked passed L and strolled over to the door, before she walked out of the room she said to L, "Please do not think I disguised myself to look like Naomi Misora to mock you. This disguise is required for tonight." and with that last statement E left the hotel.

Matsuda turned his eyes on L and asked curiously. "What's the Los Angeles BB Murder Cases?"

L eyes were still glued to the door as he answered, "A case I worked on two years ago." he glanced away from the white, wooden door and said. "Let's continue working."

* * *

E walked down the dark, empty street following an FBI agent she'd hired. The FBI agent E hired was instructed to follow George Harrow. A professional hitman. George Harrow was hired to murder the British Prime Minister two days ago. Before news went out that the Prime Minister was murdered George Harrow fled the country and entered Japan on the same day. E suspects the Russian President hired the hitman to murder the Prime Minister because for a long amount of time now there have been major disagreements between the Prime Minister and the Russian President about many different topics that they would not agree on together. It was getting to the point where England and Russia were going to start a war with each other, but before that could happen the Russian President murdered the Prime Minister.

This was the first time E has left her work to follow an agent she'd hired for the job. But this wasn't the first time she went out to the world herself to solve a case (in a disguise, of course). E has done this a couple of times before, solving a case herself without hiring an agent from an organisation, but she preferred to work on a computer in a room than go out herself.

Right at this moment E was following the FBI agent on the opposite side of the street, so the men wouldn't notice someone was following them. She watched the agent follow George Harrow into a nightclub. E was about to cross the street and follow them inside when someone grabbed E by the arm and dragged her into an empty alleyway.

E turned around to face the person who pulled her into the alleyway and saw that it was a man who dragged her into the alleyway. He was an older man, maybe in his late forties. He was overweight, sweaty, and it looked like he hasn't shaved his beard for over a year. The man looked like a homeless person. E noticed the man had bloodshot eyes and he smelt of weed. E could tell he was unstable.

"Hey, little mushroom…" the man breathed out. E raised an eyebrow at the odd nickname. She then scrunched up her nose in disgust when she smelt his breath.

"Let's-" cough, "go home together."

E rolled her eyes and pushed him aside so she could leave, but the unstable man grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back. She was face to face with the man. He had a frown on his face, "Don't leave." he ordered, trying to sound scary. With a normal woman he would have succeeded but E has come across people like him before. He's not going to cause any harm. E poked him on the shoulder so he could move out of her way, but that only made him angry. Before she knew what he was doing he moved forward and grabbed her shoulders and now had E pinned against the wall. He then reached his left hand into his pocket and pulled out a red pocket knife.

E rolled her eyes at the weapon. Pathetic. She pushed him again so he could get out of her way but he didn't move. E used plan B. She kneed him in the groin.

"OW!" the man screeched in agony, he held onto his stomach. E was about to walk away but the unstable man recovered quickly. He grabbed E and pushed her against the wall, again with force. E hissed in pain but she didn't scream like the unstable man. The man tightened his pocket knife in his fist and pressed the cold knife against E's neck. E stood perfectly still and watched him carefully. She noticed he was shaking. Perfect. E used her free hand and pinched his nipple.

"ARG!" he yelled. E expected him to drop the weapon onto the floor but the knife slit through E's arm instead.

E grabbed her arm in pain. She snapped her head up, turning her dark and heavy gaze back on the man.

E was pissed off.

She kicked the man in the jaw with her big, black boot.

"OW!" the unstable man screeched, he looked at E and yelled. "You-"

Suddenly the man eyes widened. He let go of his jaw and clutched onto his chest. The man couldn't breathe. E watched him curiously. She wondered what was wrong with him. He clutched at his chest and his knees buckled, collapsed onto the ground, laying still. Not moving.

E cocked her head to the side curiously. She walked over to the man and crouched down to check his pulse.

He died.

The way the man had reacted moments before his death, E could only guess he died of a heart attack.

E could feel her blood trailing down her arm. She needed to leave now before any of her blood falls onto the floor and the police examine her blood. But before she left E took a picture of the man with her cell phone. E wanted to check if he was killed by Kira.

* * *

E walked into the hotel room and closed the door behind her. Aizawa and Matsuda heard the door open and they turned their heads towards the door to see who'd entered. When Aizawa saw it was E, he turned around with a grunt while Matsuda grinned and sent E a friendly smile. L who was sitting on the couch, eating maroons also turned to look who entered the room.

"Hi Toshiko!" Matsuda greeted with a friendly smile as he waved at her.

E ignored Matsuda and walked into the kitchen. When she entered the hotel room she'd made sure not to hold onto her injured arm because she didn't want the investigators in the room to suspect anything odd about her entrance. As soon as she was out of their sight she grabbed onto her arm once again and walked into the kitchen.

Matsuda glanced away, a little embarrass about being ignored. Aizawa muttered to Matsuda asking why he bothers being nice to her.

L stared at the floor and noticed a small, red stain on the white carpet.

"Matsuda," L addressed the young man. Matsuda turned around to look at him. "Please go and check on Toshiko."

"Oh," Matsuda knitted his eyebrows together at the odd request. "Okay."

E was in the kitchen by the sink. She took her leather jacket off and examined the cut on her arm. It was small but deep. E needed stitches, but she decided not to get any. Wrapping a bandage around her arm will work just as better than stitches. E ran the water and started to rinse her arm under the water when she heard someone enter the kitchen. E didn't bother to look up to check who it was.

"Hello Toshiko." Matsuda greeted in a friendly tone as he walked over to her. Matsuda stood next to E by the sink and noticed she was rinsing her arm. He looked at her arm and his eyes widened at the sight. "What happen to your arm?" he asked worriedly, staring at her injured arm.

"I tripped over."

Even Matsuda didn't believe her lie.

"Did something happen tonight while you were out?"

E didn't answer.

"Here. Let me help." Matsuda reached his arm forward to grab her arm but E brush him off. "No."

"I can help you."

"Your help is not required."

Matsuda tried to grab E's arm again. "Here, just let me-"

"Matsuda." E said sternly (she sounded like Matsuda's mother). "Leave. Now." she ordered.

Matsuda was frightened by the tone E used. He knew she was serious. There was nothing he could do. Matsuda had given up trying to help E.

Matsuda stared at her for a moment before nodding slowly. He departed the kitchen and walked back into the room where Soichiro, Aizawa and L were in.

Aizawa glanced up when he heard Matsuda enter the room. "What happen?" Aizawa asked when he noticed Matsuda's worried expression.

"Toshiko…"

"What about Toshiko?" L asked as he continued to stare at the monitors in front of him.

"Her arm, it's badly cut."

"Did you offer to assist her?"

Matsuda looked insulted, "Of course I did!"

"Then why are you here?"

"…She told me to leave." Matsuda admitted sheepishly then asked, "What should we do?"

"Nothing."

Matsuda's eyes widened in disbelief and he exclaimed, "What?!"

"If she wants to be alone then we should respect her decision." L explained. He made a loud slurping sound as he took a sip of his tea.

"But what if she needs stitches?"

"I'm certain Toshiko can look after her arm without requiring our aid."

"But-"

"Matsuda." Aizawa cut in, giving Matsuda a look that says 'stop being persistent'.

Matsuda sighed in defeat. "Okay."

E was alone in the kitchen after Matsuda left, but that only lasted for a minute before Marilyn walked in the kitchen and spotted E by the sink.

"How was your outing?" Marilyn asked with a smile as she walked further into the kitchen.

"Good." E gave a simple reply.

Marilyn wondered what E was washing in the sink. It couldn't be the dishes. E never does the dishes. Marilyn stood beside her and looked inside the sink and saw E's cut arm. Marilyn gasped in horror at the sight. "Are you okay? What happen to your arm?" she asked instantly, in an overly worried tone.

"I came across an unstable man. Do not worry. It's only a small cut." E assured. She continued to focus on her arm as she assumed cleaning her cut before using disinfectant and wrapping a bandage around her arm.

Marilyn stared at the blood mixing with the water in the sink with a sad expression.

"Marilyn."

Marilyn glanced away from the sink to look at E. "Yes?"

E reached her free hand into her back pocket and fished out her cell phone and handing it over to Marilyn. "Could you please research this man?"

"May I ask why?" Marilyn asked as she studied the picture of the dead man in the cell phone.

"He's the unstable man I mentioned. He suddenly died of a heart attack right in front of me. It might have been Kira."

Marilyn nodded in understanding. "I'll research him right away."

* * *

L was seated on a couch, monitoring the screens on his own. He has been in the room monitoring the screens alone for over thirty minutes now. Soichiro was working with Aizawa and Matsuda because L had ordered him to do so. The reason why L suggested Soichiro to leave the room and take a break from monitoring the screens was because Soichiro was stressing out too much. It was starting to irritate L. Thus that was the reason why L kicked Soichiro out of the room.

L watched Sayu in her room, talking to her friend over the phone when he heard the door creak open. L glanced away from the screen and saw E walking into the room and closed the door with her foot. She was dressed in her usual white long-sleeved shirt and pink jeans. E walked over to the couch and took a seat beside L.

L turned his head to the side to look at E with his wide, curious eyes. "Hello." he greeted.

"Hello." E greeted politely as she settled into her seat.

"How was your trip outside the hotel?"

"Fine," E answered and asked. "Are you still monitoring the Yagami family?"

"I am."

"Where's Mr. Yagami?"

"I ordered Mr. Yagami to work with Aizawa and Matsuda for the rest of the night."

E nodded in understanding, "Have you noticed anything useful today from your observations?"

"I have not."

"No TV in Light's bag of potato chips tonight?" E asked mockingly as she pulled a lollipop out from her pocket and popping it into her mouth.

L shook his head, "He didn't have a bag of potato's chips tonight."

"Hm…" E hummed, nodding, enjoying the sweetness of the lollipop.

L decided to ask, "Why aren't you working on your other case?"

E took the lollipop out off her mouth, "I finished." she answered. "Let's continue monitoring the Yagami household." she added, shoving the lollipop back into her mouth as she focused her gaze on the many monitors in front of her. L followed her example.

L and E have been observing the Yagami household in silence for an hour. The two young detectives haven't taken their eyes off the screens since E took a seat beside L. A few minutes later, after E entered the room, Watari and Marilyn brought in a tray of treats for their companions. L and E ate their treats quietly as they observed the screens.

Once the Yagami family were tucked in bed and asleep, L eyes flickered to E's arm. He was curious as to what had happen to her arm. It looks completely fine. _It must be her right arm that's harmed._ L thought to himself. He shifted forward and tried to take a sneak peek at her right arm, but he couldn't see E's arm clearly.

Luckily, E leaned forward and grabbed her glass of milk with her right arm.

L spotted a red stain on E's sleeve.

"Your arm." L pointed out.

E turned her gaze to her injured arm when she heard L mentioned her arm. E observed her arm for a moment before she noticed a red stain on her white, sleeve shirt. "Oh." she mumbled softly.

"You're hurt." L said after he'd finished observing her arm in silent shock.

E didn't comment.

"May I take a look?"

"No." E said in a grim tone as she brought her glass of milk to her lips and took a sip.

But of course L didn't listen. In one swift move L snatched E's right arm and brought her arm to his side, grasping it firmly so she wouldn't pull back. L rolled her sleeve up and inspected her arm. E's arm was wrapped up in a bandage, but the white bandage was now red.

"L…" E warned when she noticed L was about to unwrap her bandage.

"Please address me by Ryuzaki." L said simply as he unwrap the bandage around her arm. He inspected the cut and said. "It's deep."

"I know."

"You need stitches."

"I know."

L glanced up to look at E, "Then why did you wrap your arm in a bandage instead of stitching your cut?"

"I do not want Marilyn to worry."

"Can you stitch your cut yourself?"

"I can."

"Then why didn't you do it?"

"Because," E paused and looked at L in the eye. "It hurts."

"Hm…" L thought for a moment and said, "I will do it for you."

"No-" E started to refuse but halt when she saw L reached his hand into his pocket, finally letting go of her arm to fish out his cell phone. L dialled a number and held the phone between his thumb and index finger and held the phone by his ear. The person on the other end answered the call and L said. "Watari. Could you please fetch the first aid kit for me? Thank you." he ended the call and looked back at E, "Watari is on his way."

"I said no."

"You're very stubborn."

"I'm not."

"Stubborn: having or showing dogged determination not to change one's attitude or position on something, especially in spite of good reasons to do so." L focussed on E's dark eyes, "You're acting like I'd just described."

E opened her mouth to reply when all of a sudden, a knock on the door silenced her.

"Enter." L called out.

Watari entered the room with the first aid kit in his hand. He set the first aid kit down on the coffee table and said. "There you- oh my," Watari exclaimed when he noticed E's arm. Watari looked at her and asked. "Are you alright dear?"

"I am." E answered. She glanced up to look at Watari. "Could you please not mention my arm to Marilyn?"

"I don't know. It looks awful-"

"L is taking care of it." E interrupted.

Watari nodded, "Alright. I won't say a word."

Watari knows L is memorised on how to stitch a wound. Watari trusts L will look after E.

"Thank you."

"If you need anything else please don't hesitate to contact me."

"Thank you very much." L said as he slide the string through the needle. Earlier on L grab a hold of the first aid kit and started setting everything up to stitch E's wound.

Watari nodded with a kind smile on his face. He turned around and left the two young detectives alone.

"I am not happy." E stated grumpily when Watari closed the door behind him.

"Why is that?" L asked as he continued to focus his attention on the needle.

"You know why." E said in a sulky tone as she reached her free hand into her pocket and pulled a lollipop and stuck the sweet in her mouth.

"There we go." L proclaim when he finished getting the needle ready. He looked at E and asked. "Are you ready?"

"No."

"Let's start."

L took a hold of E's arm and cleaned her arm with disinfectant before he started stitching her wound. Once he was done disinfecting her arm he started sticking the needle into her skin, stitching the cut back together.

"You're stubborn as well." E stated as she watched L stitch her arm, but all she could see was L's big mop of black hair.

"I know."

"How did you learn to stitch?"

"I read a book."

"Have you done this before?"

"I have."

"What else can you do?"

"I can perform an operation."

"Impressive. How many times have you operated on someone?"

"Zero."

"You're not very impressive anymore."

L chuckled softly under his breath and asked, "You have spoken more now than in the past two days. Why is that?" L noticed E has spoken a lot in the past minute. It seemed feeling anxious made her talk a lot more.

"Nerves."

"Because of your arm?"

"Yes."

"Does it hurt?"

"No."

"I'm doing a good job then."

"Sure you are." E said, rolling her eyes to the side. L could hear the sarcasm in her tone. E asked. "I can speak fifty-six languages. How many can you speak?"

L glanced up to look at E for a moment. He looked into her eyes and answered seriously. "Fifty-six." he glanced away and focused his attention back on her arm.

E raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Yes."

"Can you read in those languages as well?" E asked in Portuguese.

"I can." L replied in French.

"And write?" E asked in Italian.

"Yes. Can you also read and write in your fifty-six spoken languages?" L asked in English.

E replied in German, "Of course." she then said in English. "You sound better when you speak English."

"Is that so? That's odd because I also believe you sound nicer when you speak English." L replied in English. E didn't comment.

L wrapped a bandage around E's arm when he finished stitching her arm. He leaned back to examine his work when he finished wrapping her arm in a bandage. L was indeed happy with his work.

L glanced up to look at E and said, "Finish." E glanced down and took a look at his work. L continued. "I will take your stitches out in two weeks."

E grabbed her arm and turned away, "Thank you." she mumbled.

L continued to stare at E for a moment before deciding to ask his question that has been bothering him all day. "May I ask you a question?"

"You may." E replied as she continued to examine her newly stitched arm.

One thumb was caught between his teeth as he asked. "How do you know Beyond Birthday?"

There was a moment of silence. L continued to stare at E waiting for her reply while E kept her gaze on her arm. Before she could reply someone knocked on the door. "Enter." E called out and the door open, revealing Marilyn. Marilyn walked into the room with reports in her hands.

"Toshiko, I got all the information I could find of that man."

"Thank you." E said, looking through the reports Marilyn had handed over to her.

"I also brought you a new shirt." Marilyn announced with a smile on her face as she handed the white shirt over to E.

E tore her eyes away from the reports to look at Marilyn with confusion. A second later E realised Watari must have told Marilyn to bring her a new clean shirt.

"Hm…" E hummed, taking the shirt from Marilyn. "Thank you."

Marilyn smiled. "You're welcome." she turned around and left the room.

L turned his head and looked at E curiously. "Who did you research?"

"Usually I wouldn't tell you but this might be an interest to you."

"Hm," L hummed, sounding like a cat. "Is that so?"

"Yes. The man who caused my cut today suddenly died of a heart attack right in front of me."

L pressed his thumb to his lip, "Interesting."

"Mamoru Takahiro. Forty-seven years old. Raped two women and gone to prison for two years. He was recently let out, but he stabbed someone in the chest when he tried to rob a small corner shop." E read out from the reports.

"He sounds like someone Kira would punish."

E nodded in agreement and she cocked her head to the side to look at L, "While I was out did you notice anything _odd_ about Light's behaviour tonight?"

"No. Light had dinner with his mother and sister. Right after dinner he went to his room to study."

E frowned and thought out loud. "How does Light Yagami kill?"

* * *

~Author's Note~

I don't really have anything to say in this note, so I will tell you guys a joke.

Use heelies to escape your feelies.

I don't know if you would consider this a joke but it made me laugh!


	8. Chapter 8 Chocolate and Syrup

Chapter 8: Chocolate and Syrup

L was irritated.

It wasn't because Light wouldn't leave one single clue of being Kira or the fact that there was no more cake.

It was because of E.

In the past two days E has been constantly leaving the hotel (in a disguise) to work on her other cases, rather than monitoring the Yagami household with Soichiro and L. Since E's first arrival she has only worked on the Kira case on her first and second day and since then she hasn't worked on the Kira case once.

E hasn't spoken a lot in the past couple of days. Scratch that. E hasn't spoken to anyone, besides Marilyn. It wasn't as if she's spoken to anyone on the task force since her arrival. She hasn't even said a simple hello to the men. E wouldn't even inform L she was leaving the hotel for work. She left the hotel, like a ghost, without saying a word to anyone, as if they weren't worth her breath. L would have to go to Marilyn and ask where E has gone to. If you wanted E to speak to you, you would have to start the conversation, it wasn't even worth starting a conversation with E in the first place because she would only reply with one simple word. L had almost lost his cool in frustration. With all these one-word answers and indirect responses he was getting nowhere with her. The only people in the task force who continued to try to speak to E was Matsuda and L.

L hasn't mentioned about the matter to E, but he was starting to get irritated by her behaviour.

"You're going out again?" L stated, rather than asked E earlier that day. He stood beside the living room door frame as he watched E look through her bag.

"I am."

"When do you plan to work on the Kira case?"

"When I complete my current case."

"When will that be?"

"Today." E answered as she pulled out a prosthetic nose from the bag. She sat down on the couch and looked inside the mirror and started putting the prosthetic nose over her real nose.

L stared at her oddly for a moment before asking, "When you finish your case today?"

"Yes."

"Alright, I'll be waiting."

E stared into the mirror, cross-eyed and asked, "Are you still monitoring the Yagami household?"

"I am."

"Hm…" E hummed, not sounding very pleased.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because it's boring."

L lifted his brow, "Why is it boring?"

"Because I have a suspect. Light Yagami. I don't see the point of monitoring the Yagami household any longer. All I have to do now is prove Light is Kira, but that won't happen until you end surveillance." she explained in a bored tone as she finished applying her prosthetic nose. E's small button nose was now three inches longer, as if she was Pinocchio who had told a lie, but E has told many lies over the years. E's new nose suited her personality, not her face. But her prosthetic nose did the job. E didn't look like herself anymore.

"Wh-" L started to say but E cut him off, "I'm leaving." she stood up from the couch, she walked pass L and left the hotel.

That was over four hours ago and that was why L was irritated.

Today was the fifth day since the Kitamura and the Yagami families have been under surveillance. The only thing L found suspicious in the Yagami household was Light and it was because of the small TV E had found in Light's bag of potato chips.

At the moment L and Soichiro were in the same room they'd been in, in the last five days monitoring the Yagami household. Sachiko was vacuuming the living room floor. Sayu was watching TV. And Light was out.

"Ryuzaki."

"Yes." L answered as he nibbled at his thumbnail.

"I've been thinking about the purse snatcher and the embezzeler's heart attacks. It seems my family couldn't have had any knowledge of them before they died. Shouldn't that resolve any doubt you have?"

"You may be right. Even though Kira can control the time of death, I don't think there's any way he could have arranged their deaths without having seen the broadcast first." L lied right through his teeth. Perhaps E's prosthetic nose would also suit L's personality. "Hm, your son has come home."

Soichiro glance up to face the monitors and he started observing the screens with L once again. Light was in the house for about five minutes before he left the house again.

_What was he up to?_

L heard the entrance door open and close. It must be E. Aizawa and Matsuda were in the other room monitoring the Kitamura family. Mogi and Ukita were at the NPA. Watari and Marilyn were in another hotel room. E was the only one from the task force who was out at the moment.

L stood up from his seat and said to Soichiro, "I'm going to be gone for a few minutes. Please continue monitoring your family."

Soichiro nodded, "Alright."

L wandered over to the living room. In the past few days L noticed E usually spends her time working on her cases in the living room, hence that was the reason he decided it was best to check the living room first. He grasped the door knob and opened the door before entering the living room. L was correct. E was in the living room, seated on the couch, looking into the mirror as she took her prosthetic nose off.

"How was your case?" L asked as he closed the door behind him.

"I will not reveal any classified information from my case."

L nodded. He was starting to get used to E's behaviour by now, "Are you ready to start working on the Kira case?"

"No."

L repressed a frown as he stared at E for a moment before informing her, "This afternoon you notified me that you will work on the Kira case when you have completed your case."

While L reminded E of their earlier conversation E stood up from her seat and started to look through her bag, when L finished speaking she said. "I did and I will, when I complete my second case."

"You said today." L stated in a stern tone. He was growing irritated. He was annoyed by E's child-like behaviour.

E pulled out two wigs from her bag. One was blonde and the other was ginger. E's eyes flickered through the two similar wigs in her hands. She was trying to decide which wig to wear for her next case. "I did say today, but I didn't give you a specific time."

"It's seven PM. What time do you plan on working on the Kira case?"

"Hm…" E hummed, pretending to think of her answer. "Eleven forty-five."

L lost it.

"No."

"No?" E repeated, as if L's reply didn't bother her. To show his reply didn't have an effect on her she continued to decide which wig to wear.

"You are not leaving this hotel. You're going to stay here and work on the Kira case."

After a long pause E tore her eyes from the two wigs in her hands to look at L with her raven-like eyes, "If I remember correctly in my conditions I strictly said you are_ not_ allowed to command orders on me."

"I recall."

"Then you should know I'm not going to follow your orders. I'm going out to solve my case."

"Not today. You are going to stay here and work on the Kira case with me."

A slight smirk appeared on E's lips, an unusual expression for her. She asked in a mocking tone, "You want me to stay here and watch TV?"

E was very talented at irritating L.

L frowned at her tone, "Yes."

E stared at L with her dark, intense eyes and she said sternly, "No."

L stared back with the same intensity in his eyes, "No?"

"I don't take orders. I give them." E said in a harsh tone. "I'm not going to listen to you."

"Oh, but you will." L took a step and blocked the door with his body as he stood there stubbornly.

"We'll see about that." E reached her hand into her jean pocket and fished out her cell phone. The entire time she'd kept her eyes on L, not breaking the eye contact between them. E held the cell phone by her ear and said in a grim tone, "Marilyn. L is holding me captive. Come to the room right now." E ordered and she ended the call.

L also pulled his cell phone out from his pocket and dialled Watari's number, "Watari, please come to the room."

The two young, stubborn detectives stared at each other with blank expressions after they ended their phone calls, revealing nothing in their expressions and not resisting either as if they were challenging each other with their eyes. Neither of them made a move to escape the other, simply absorbing the quiet and examining their own thoughts.

"I never lose." E commented as she picked up a bowl full of sweets from the coffee table and hugged the bowl to her chest before she shoved a handful of sweets into her mouth.

"Me too." L replied, watching E as she ate.

He was hungry too.

L decided to move his body from the door and walk over to the coffee table. He stood in front of E, (in case E decided to make a dash to the door) and grabbed a piece of chocolate between his fingers and popped the sweet in his mouth. The two angry/irritated adults ate their treats silently as they waited patiently for Watari's and Marilyn's arrival. After L swallowed his treat he looked inside E's bowl of sweets and his eyes sparkled in delight when he saw the variety of sweets. L asked casually, as if they were friends. "May I have one?"

E paused for a moment before nodding her head. She reached her hand inside the bowl and grabbed a green jelly bean. E glanced away from the bowl to look at L for a moment before she threw the green sweet at L's forehead. He frowned. "Was that necessary?"

"No."

"Then why did you do it?"

E shrugged.

L picked up a piece of chocolate from the box and threw it at E's forehead.

E frowned. This time she reached her hand into the bowl and pulled out a fistful of sweets and threw the candy in L's face.

"Stop that." L ordered in an annoyed tone.

"I don't take orders, remember." E said, sounding like a five year old as she shoved a handful of sweets into her mouth and chewed loudly. E stared at L with cheeks so big that she looked like a squirrel with acorns in their mouth. To put it clearly, E looked like a five year old throwing a tantrum.

"Fine, if you want to behave like a child, then so will I."

L grabbed the plate of cake from the coffee table and held the plate over E's head before slipping the plate over, making the cake fall on E's head.

E stared at L with her raven-like eyes.

She was pissed off.

E set the bowl of candy on the coffee table and turned around, pulling something out of her bag. She turned right around to face him once again. L saw E grasping a bottle of golden syrup in her hands. He watched E as she open the lid with her index finger and squeezed the bottle, spraying the syrup on him. L instantly reacted and held his right arm up to protect his face. While E continued to cover L in syrup he reached his free hand into his back pocket and pulled out a bottle of chocolate sauce. L opened the lid and started spraying chocolate on E.

Chocolate and syrup was flying everywhere, leaving stains on the carpet, on the coffee table, on the couch and on the two (not so serious) detectives.

After a minute or two, L ran out of chocolate sauce (because he already ate half of it) while E continued to cover him in syrup. "Stop it. You made a mess." L said, as if it was her fault. E paused for a moment and frown at his comment before spraying L in syrup again.

L walked towards E (syrup spraying all over him, especially in his hair) and grabbed E's wrist to stop her. To L's expectation E did stop squeezing the bottle, but what L did not expect was E kneeing him in the groin.

L fell on his knees, holding onto his stomach and groaned in pain. He never thought E would have kneed him in the stomach. It was unexpected. L heard E hiss painfully. He glanced up and saw E holding onto her injured arm.

"What happen in here?"

L and E turned their heads towards the doorway and saw Watari and Marilyn.

"L started it."

"E started it."

L and E said at the same exact time, pointing their index fingers at each other.

Watari and Marilyn stared at their companions with disapproving looks upon their face with their arms cross over their chests.

"Tell us what happen." Marilyn ordered, sounding like a mom.

"L is keeping me captive."

"I'm not."

"You wouldn't let me leave the hotel to work on my case."

"That's because you-"

"Hey." Marilyn cut in sternly and repeated herself. "Tell us what happen."

In the past few minutes L and E explained their _disagreement_ while Watari and Marilyn listened.

"After E kneed me in the groin you two arrived." L finished explaining to the two adults about their food fight.

"Sounds to me you're both at fault." Watari said.

L and E frowned.

"You two are adults you shouldn't have behaved like eight years olds." Marilyn stated.

E closed her eyes so Marilyn wouldn't see her rolling her eyes at the comment. She was in no mood for a lecture, "Well then, I'm leaving to complete my case now. I'm behind schedule."

"No." Marilyn said, "It's because of your case your disagreement with Ryuzaki happened. I will let you go to your case today, but right after you complete your case you're going to come back straight to the hotel and stay here."

E was about to object but paused when she noticed Marilyn giving her the Dark Vader look.

E mumbled, "Alright."

"And Ryuzaki, you shouldn't have held Toshiko captive."

"I didn't hold her captive."

Watari stared at L, also giving him the Dark Vader look.

L mumbled, "I know."

"I'm certain I don't need to tell you two to apologise to each other." Marilyn said, tapping her foot on the sticky floor.

L and E looked at each other but otherwise didn't apologise to each other.

Marilyn sighed, "You two go ahead and take a shower while Watari and I figure out how to clean this room."

E nodded in agreement, wanting to take a shower as soon as possible, while L observed E, she continued to hold onto her injured arm and L noticed blood trailing down her arm.

_Her stitches._

"Toshiko. Your arm." L pointed out as he continued to stare at her arm.

"I'm aware."

"May I take a look?"

"No. I can fix it." E said stubbornly as she stalked towards the door.

The door suddenly opened, revealing Matsuda, "Ryuzaki, the Kitamura family-" Matsuda paused in the middle of his sentence when he noticed the mess in the room. "Woah, what happened in here?"

"It was a rat." E said as she walked passed Matsuda and left the living room to go and take a shower. L didn't say a word, he followed E's example and walked out of the room to take a shower.

Matsuda turned his head to look at Watari and Marilyn for an explanation.

"Matsuda," Watari said and Marilyn finished. "Could you please call the maid?"

* * *

L and E were in the living room.

After E took a shower she put on another disguise and left the hotel, while L continued to monitor the Yagami household with Soichiro.

E arrived back to the hotel at eleven forty-five, like she said she would. E changed out of her disguise and put her usual clothing on. Fifteen minutes later, after E's arrival L left Soichiro to monitor his family alone while L walked into the living room to work on the laptop. E was also in the living room writing a report of the case she had solved today. This was the first time L and E walked into the living room after the mess they'd made. The room was spotless. Whoever cleaned the room did an excellent job.

L and E haven't spoken a word to each other since L walked into the living room. At the moment E was seated on the floor working on the laptop with a pair of headphones in her ears as she typed rapidly on the keyboard. L sat on the single couch with a laptop and a microphone set on the coffee table in front of him as his spoke into the microphone.

E had finished writing her report and took her headphones off. She set the laptop to the side and reached her hand forward to grab the plate of crêpes.

"I've solved over three thousand cases." E heard L say. She then heard a few people murmur. "Woah…"

E looked over at L curiously with her mouth full of crêpe. Why would he say how many cases he'd solved? Who was he talking to?

L felt a pair of eyes on him. In the corner of his eye he noticed E's stare. He glanced up to look at her. They locked eyes. L could tell she was curious on what he was doing.

E completely forgot the disagreement they had earlier and decided to ask L what he was doing. E knew if she spoke whoever L was speaking to would be able to hear her. Therefore E raised her hands and started talking to L in sign language.

E asked with her hands, "May I have a look?"

L stared at E for a moment before nodding his head in response. E stood up and walked over to L and looked at the laptop screen.

There were about fifteen children seated on the floor. The age range was between seven to fourteen year olds. The children all stared at the laptop screen with excitement on their faces, except for two children.

E stared at the laptop screen with fascination as she whispered softly, "Wammy House."

L instantly shot his head up to look at E when he heard her say Wammy House.

_How does E know Wammy House? E must have researched it, but how can she recognise Wammy House just by looking at one room? I'm certain no one has seen the inside of Wammy House besides Roger, the children, Watari and I._

E noticed L's stare and she turned her head to look at him. L raised his hands and asked in sign language, "How do you know Wammy House?"

E ignored him. She turned her gaze back to the laptop and continued to examine the screen.

L continued to stare at her until he heard a boy ask him a question. L glanced back at the laptop screen and answered the boy's question.

"I try to envision the events that take place as individual elements. I can then take a note of each one, but I gain a better understanding when I combine all of these again as a whole. Which is why, I have very bad hand writing."

The children laughed and L asked, "Any other questions?"

"Oh! Oh! Can you tell me if there's something you're not good at or maybe something that you're scared off?"

"Something I'm scared off?" L mumbled to himself as a question. E looked at him.

"What? Yeah right. L is not scared of anything."

"Well, I suppose monsters."

E stared at L curiously, waiting for him to expand his sentence.

The children laughed again and the same girl who asked the question said, "Me too. I am too."

"Dummy, L is not the same as you."

"There are many types of monsters in this world: Monsters who will not show themselves and who cause trouble, monsters who abduct children, monsters who devour dreams, monsters who suck blood and monsters who always tell lies. Lying monsters are a real nuisance. They are much more cunning than other monsters. They pose as humans even though they have no understanding of the human heart. They eat even though they've never experienced hunger. They study even though they have no interest in academics. They seek friendship even though they do not know how to love. If I were to encounter such a monster I would likely be eaten by it, because in truth, I am that monster."

During L's speech E stared at him, listening intensively to him, many thoughts running through her mind. When L finished his speech, E stared at him for a few more seconds before looking away. E walked back to her original seat and put her headphones back on and started writing her second report.

L looked at her, wondering why she left.

* * *

L continued answering the children's question for the past twenty minutes. After L answered their questions he told them he had to go and continue working on the Kira investigation. But in truth, L wanted to have a discussion with E.

L shut the screen and set the laptop to the side before he glanced up to look at E and saw she was sitting in the same position as before when she left L's side.

"Toshiko."

Ignore.

"Toshiko?"

Ignore.

"E."

"Please address me by Toshiko, Ryuzaki."

"I did."

E asked, playing dumb, "When?"

"A moment ago."

"I was busy listening to something important."

_Just like a child._ L noted to himself.

"You described yourself as a monster." E stated as her pale fingers continued to type swiftly on the keyboard.

L was taken aback by E's actions. E had actually spoken to him voluntarily. L never thought she would speak to him willingly. It was quite of a surprise. But, yet again L was irritated. He wanted to ask her how she knew Wammy House.

L suddenly realised.

E didn't speak to him _voluntarily_. She spoke to him because she knew L wanted to ask her about Wammy House. E avoided the question by speaking to him.

Smart.

"I did."

"Monsters who always tell lies. Lying monsters are a real nuisance. They are much more cunning than other monsters." E quoted L's words. L was surprised to see a small, sad smile appear on her lips. E turned her head to face him and said, "I'm a monster." she tore her eyes from L's and continued typing on the keyboard.

"I'm aware."

E didn't comment.

"Not just a monster, a childish monster."

E didn't comment. L took this opportunity to notify E about monitoring the Kitamura and the Yagami households, "I've decided to end surveillance."

"Finally."

"Today was the last day of surveillance. I will speak to the task force about our next plan in the morning."

"Sounds good."

"Hopefully you will be more motivated."

"L." E paused for a moment as she rubbed her right arm. Before L had the chance to correct her she said, "I would like to apologise for my behaviour today."

"Me too."

"I don't like taking orders."

"I noticed."

E nodded slowly, she didn't seem to be listening. Her eyes were glued to her arm as she continued to rub her arm. L had noticed she's been rubbing her injured arm for the past minute.

"How's your arm?"

"Fine."

"It looks itchy."

"It is."

"Did you re-stitch your arm?"

"I did."

"Did it hurt?"

"It did."

"Then you didn't do it properly."

"I did do it-" E suddenly stopped speaking in the middle of her sentence when L hopped off his seat and walked towards her. He knelt down and grabbed her arm gently, he rolled her sleeve up and slowly unwrapped the white bandaged around her arm and inspected her stitches.

"Hm…" he hummed to himself as he examined her arm. "It looks good."

"I told you."

L glanced away from her arm and looked at E closely, within inches from each other faces. L had no concept of personal space, but E didn't seem to care how close they were. Silence fell as their eyes met.

Her eyes.

What happen to her eyes?

E. She has brown eyes.

"Your eyes."

E lifted her brow, "What about them?"

"They're brown."

"I'm aware."

L realised the stupidity of his statement. Of course she knew she has brown eyes, but all this time he thought her eyes were black. E eyes could have been the shade of a raven's eyes ever since L met her because she was mad about working on the Kira investigation. L had read one time when he was a teenager: a person eyes can turn a few shades darker when bored, depressed, or angry. E must not be annoyed at the moment. That was the reason her eyes were brown.

L decided to change topics, "You lie a lot?" he asked as he took a seat on the carpet next to E. L managed to sit in his usual position on the floor. He wrapped the bandage right around her arm and pulled her sleeve down. Once L was done he rested his hands atop his knees as he tilt his head slightly in E's direction, he slowly bit his thumbnail so carefully that it looked thoughtful, his dark-rimmed eyes were staring fixedly at her. E had described herself as a monster earlier, L wanted to ask her more about it.

"Of course."

"Why?"

"L." E looked at him directly in the eye and said seriously. "This is our job. We have to lie to solve a case. I've said a lot of cruel, petty, cold words over the years to get the job done. I know I have to say anything necessarily to solve a case."

_She has the same opinion as I._ L thought to himself silently.

"Why were you speaking to those children?" E suddenly asked.

L blinked and came out of his thoughts and realised he had been staring at the carpet. He glanced up and saw E typing away on the keyboard again.

"Why you ask?" L asked.

E nodded.

"Because," L paused for a moment before replying. "I'm choosing a successor."

Finally L had said something interesting to make E turn her head to look at him, "Successor?"

"Yes."

"Why are you getting a successor?"

"Because I may die."

"I think you will as well."

L didn't know how to respond to that.

E asked, "Your successor will take your place as L and continue your work when you die?"

"Yes."

"Hm…" E hummed as she glanced back to look at her laptop. L knew she had something to say about the subject.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. I'm sure you don't want to hear my opinion on the matter."

"You are incorrect. I'm_ very_ interested in your opinion."

E turned her head to look at him, "Alright." she took the crêpe into her hands and took a bite of it, "When you die, you're dead, it's over." E swallowed and continued her sentence. "Why would you want to continue your work when you're dead?"

L raised an eyebrow at the comment, "Aren't you going to have a successor?"

"No. When I die I want it to stay like that. Marilyn will send a signal to every police organisation in the world about my death. Therefore the police organisations will no longer contact E."

L nodded in understanding, "I understand, but if you had to choose, which of these children you saw today would you choose to be your successor?"

E thought about her answer for a moment while she took two bites of her crêpe. She replied with a mouthful of crêpe, "The white haired boy."

L arched an eyebrow, "Really?"

E nodded as she took her last bite of crêpe, "And the blonde haired boy."

"Two?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"They were the only children that did not ask you a question. They observed you." E looked at L. "And they had a nasty look in their eyes."

The two young detectives stared at each other for a few seconds before L said.

"Remarkable."

E raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Remarkable?"

"I chose the same boys for that very reason."

E didn't look all that shock by his reply, as if she expected it. She glanced back to her laptop screen and said. "I guess this is why we're both number one."

It was silent for a moment between the two detectives. L took this opportunity to ask E his question.

"How do you know about Wammy House?"

E grabbed her headphones beside her and put them back on, totally ignoring L's question.

_What is she hiding?_

* * *

"Watari."

"Yes Ryuzaki?"

L left the living room earlier leaving E alone in the room. He couldn't concentrate on his work. There was a question that has been bothering him. L wanted his question to be answered and the only person that could answer his question was Watari, and that was the reason why he felt the room.

L walked in further into the room and took a seat next to Watari, "I have a question."

Watari turned his seat to face L with a raised eyebrow, "Oh? What is it?"

"E knows about Wammy House."

It was silent for a moment between the two men. L watched Watari carefully with his black-rimmed eyes as he nibbled at his thumbnail, observing his reaction. Watari didn't look surprised by the statement, as if he was already aware E knew about Wammy House. Watari himself wasn't surprised by the question. He knew L would have found out sooner or later.

"I know."

"How does E know Wammy House?"

"L." Watari said, using L's preferred name. "Long ago I was very close to a young woman. She was a very talented detective. We met in 1982. It was the time when a group of men stole my inventions. The woman was in charge of the investigation and completed the case successfully. Since then we kept in touch. In 1988 I came across you and that was when the woman decided to give up her career and start working with me. The woman travelled the world while I stayed behind to look after you. Finally a couple of years later the woman visited Greece/Athens and when she came back she brought something very special back to England."

"What would that be?"

"A young girl."

* * *

~Author's Note~

Death Note and Tokyo Ghoul are my favourite shows (I prefer Tokyo Ghoul the manga than the anime) and this week was Tokyo Ghoul Root A last episode. Needless to say I felt hollow ever since. This is the same feeling I had with L's death (Rem, the freaking skeleton cat fish had to go and break my heart. Now I have to mourn over my husband's death. I'm a freaking widow!)

This note escalated quickly.

Anywhore... I now feel hollow with L and Kaneki. Why do I have to love tragic anime? Why do I do this to myself? Why?!

No joke in this note this time because I'm too sad, but I would like to thank **Cheesecakerainbowslollipops**, **Moonlight Starlove **and **Nuntis **for commenting, following and favouriting this story from the last update!


	9. Chapter 9 Leave

Chapter 9: Leave

This morning L gathered the task force into the living room. E sat on the couch beside L at the head of the coffee table. L ate a box of chocolates silently while E sucked on her straw, swallowing her strawberry milk.

The men in the room sat on the couches around the coffee table. They had their eyes on the two geniuses as they waited for one of them to speak. Matsuda on the other hand watched them curiously, thinking of how L and E looked similar to the King and Queen when they sit beside each other in their thrones in the centre of the room.

"Well," Aizawa started. "Why did you join us all together?"

"In the past few days I've listened to all of our audio recordings and reviewed the video footage we captured. I've gone over them many times and I've come to a conclusion. Our surveillance of the Kitamura and Yagami households has revealed…" L paused. He turned his eyes on E, asking her if he could inform the task force about the TV they discovered in Light's bag of potato chips. E knew what L was asking of her. She rolled her eyes and continued to suck on her straw, blinking her eyes innocently. L got the message. He glanced back at the task force and said. "Nothing. We'll remove the cameras and wiretaps."

Soichiro sagged into his seat and sighed in relief.

Matsuda muttered in disappointment, "All that and we still don't have any suspects."

"It's okay Matsuda." Soichiro replied, pushing his glasses to his nose. "We'll have to pursue other leads but we'll get him."

"Hm…" L hummed as he licked his fingers, "Please don't get the wrong idea." the men turned their eyes on L. "I only said that we were unable to reveal anything suspicious based on our surveillance."

"What?" Soichiro asked in alarm.

"Even if Kira was among them I'm sure he wouldn't make it obvious. No. In fact it could mean he was able to continue killing without doing anything outwardly suspicious."

E coughed. L looked at her. Her face was hidden by the glass of milk she was drinking from.

"Well then you believe that Kira is among one of those families?" Soichiro asked. L tore his eyes from E and looked at Soichiro. "As I've said, there's a five percent chance." he said, not amused.

L turned his gaze back on E. She sat in her seat, without saying a single word during the meeting as she drank her strawberry flavoured milk in silence. Her expression varied between bored and uninterested. L had decided he wanted to have a discussion with E, alone.

"You may leave and continue on your task." L said. The men nodded, they stood up and left the room.

Once the men departed the room E spoke, "What do you want to discuss with me about?" she asked, reading L's mind as she added strawberry mix into her milk.

"I would like you to listen to my thoughts."

E shrugged, "Alright."

L stared into his cup of coffee as he spoke his thoughts, "Kira never stopped killing people even while the surveillance cameras were in place. I still have no idea how he's been able to commit these murders but…" L broke his gaze from his cup of coffee to look at E. She wasn't looking at him. E noticed his stare and turned her head in his direction, "Let's say he could kill someone simply by wishing death upon them." E raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, "You'd think that any human being would have shown at least some emotion, some sign that they were knowingly committing an act of murder. So the obvious conclusion is that Kira couldn't be one of them." E glanced away, not liking that idea, "However…" L continued. "What if he is one of these people we've been watching? If he is, we have to assume that his psyche has reached god like proportions. Punishing evil doers without the slightest change of expression, it almost makes you want to believe that Kira doesn't exist and this is just a wrath of a revengeful God."

L heard a snort. He perked up at the similar sound. He turned his head towards E and saw her sucking on her straw once again, drinking her glass of strawberry milk. L confirmed it. E was the one who snorted on the first day of surveillance.

L continued speaking his thoughts as he kept his eyes on E, "But that idea is completely absurd to think that God would need a person's face and name to kill them. No. These are not acts of god but someone very childish and immature who wants to pretend they're god. That's what's going on here. A mass murderer who calls himself Kira exists somewhere. I'm sure of it and I will catch him." E coughed and L corrected himself. "_We_ will catch him. But we can't count on Kira making any mistakes. It doesn't matter how long we watch him, he's not going to expose himself to us."

L slowly brought his thumb to his lip, "So what should I do? Ideally I would get to know him well enough that he'd admit to me that he's Kira and show me how he kills. Would that even be possible?"

L fell silent. He finished speaking his thoughts.

"Do you honestly believe Light will show you how he kills his victims?" E asked, sounding doubtful.

L looked at her. She had her eyes on her glass of milk, "There's a possibility."

E shook her head, "He won't. Even if you two become _best friends_, it's all just pretend."

"Hm..." L hummed, his interest piqued. "Continue."

"You both dislike each other. You dislike him because he is, of course, a murderer. Light dislikes you because you want to catch him." E took a sip of her drink. "Let's say for instance Light has heard of your existence. I'm certain he would have admired your sense of justice, but when you confronted him Light must have felt betrayed by you. That's another reason why he dislikes you and wants to kill you."

L hadn't moved, his head was cocked to the side, he was obviously taking note of everything E had just said. L was very interested by her words.

E continued, "Besides, you both want something from each other that you two will _never_ reveal. You want Light to reveal himself as Kira and Light wants your name. You two won't allow your identities to be revealed. It's all a waste of time."

L stared at her for a few seconds, observing her before he said, "You are very certain Light is Kira." he noted.

"I am. Light Yagami is Kira." E turned her head to look at L. "What's your plan?"

In the past five minutes L explained his plan to E as she listened to him. E said after he finished explaining his ploy.

"You're going to reveal your face to Light?"

"I am."

"It was nice knowing you."

"I'm not going to die."

E glanced away, "We'll see about that." she made a loud slurping sound as she took a sip of her drink. She scrunched up her nose before adding another spoonful of strawberry mix into her glass of milk, "The entrance exams are in two days." E stated as she took a sip of her drink. She liked it. "You should arrange your plans with Watari."

"You are correct. I'll go right now." L set his naked feet onto the carpet and stood up. He glanced down at E and asked. "What will you do in the meantime?"

"Work on my case."

L raised an eyebrow, "Another one?"

E nodded. She grabbed her laptop from the coffee table and set it on her lap.

"Alright, I'll leave you to that."

E didn't comment and L left the room.

* * *

Two days had passed since L made arrangements with Watari to take the entrance exams at To-Oh University. Today was the first day of taking the exams. L had two minutes before he had to leave the hotel with Watari to drive to To-Oh University. Before he had to leave L was in the living room by the door, watching E place a wig on her head. Today E wore a cherry red shirt over a leather jacket, matching her leather pants. To match her shirt she wore a red wig. E sat on the couch, positioning the wig on her head when L asked.

"Are you going out?"

"I am."

"Alright, I'm going to leave now. I will see you later then."

E found L's behaviour strange. Usually when E leaves the hotel to work on a case L would frown or complain. He would even start a food fight with her so she wouldn't leave (in reality E was the one who started the food fight).

E glanced away from the mirror and looked at L suspiciously, "Okay."

L turned around, closing the door behind him as he left the hotel with Watari.

E stared at the closed door for a few more seconds before looking away and continued to get herself ready.

Ten minutes later E was ready to leave. Once she put her belongings away in her bag she walked over to the door and grabbed the door knob.

The door wouldn't open.

E knitted her eyebrows together in confusion. She tried again.

Nothing.

E realised it was locked.

_Very funny L._

E thought to herself. She understood L's earlier behaviour now.

He locked her inside the room so she wouldn't leave the hotel.

Luckily E knew how to pick a lock door. All she needed was a hair pin. E has a bag full of hair pins in her bag. She went through her bag, looking for her hair pins but she couldn't find them.

L took them.

He'd planned this.

E sighed in annoyance. She was now going to be late.

E started planning another way out of the room when she heard someone trying to open the door, "Huh? Why is the door locked?"

E recognised the voice. It belonged to Matsuda.

"Oh well, I'll go and get the key."

_Perfect. _E thought to herself. It seems L didn't inform the task force about his _little_ plan about locking her in the living room. E sat on the couch and pretended to fix her wig while she waited for Matsuda to come back to unlock the door.

Matsuda unlocked the door and saw E seated on the couch, fixing her wig.

"Oh, hi Toshiko!" Matsuda greeted and asked. "Why was the door locked?"

"Oh?" E looked at Matsuda. "The door was locked?"

Matsuda nodded, "Yeah."

"Lucky you noticed Matsuda. If you hadn't I would have been late for my case. Thank you." E said in a friendly tone, pretending to be nice to Matsuda. If he finds out that L had locked her in the room on purpose there's a strong possibility that Matsuda will lock the door, trapping E inside the room once again.

Matsuda grinned, showing off his teeth in the progress. He was happy he managed to do something for E, "You're welcome!"

E walked passed Matsuda and gave him a small, fake smile before she left the hotel.

* * *

"You left."

"You locked the door."

A couple of hours later L arrived back to the hotel. The first task he had to do was unlock the living room door, but the door was already unlocked. L asked Aizawa, Ukita and Matsuda if they saw E leave the hotel room. Matsuda explained to L he noticed the door was locked, therefore he unlocked the door and found E in the room. E wasn't aware the door was locked. "Toshiko thanked me." Matsuda added with a grin. L knew E was aware he locked the door. She'd manipulate Matsuda. L turned around and muttered, "Matsuda, you idiot." and he left.

"Why did you lock the door?" E asked.

"So you would stay here and work on the Kira case, but you left anyway."

"I'm E. Trapping me inside a room by locking the door won't work."

"I'll keep that in mind next time."

"No. There will not be a _next time_. Don't lock the door again."

"I won't, if only you don't leave the hotel again without my permission."

"Deal." E sat down on the couch, in a cross-legged position and took a bite of her big cookie. "Did Light see you?"

"He did."

"Check." E simply said as she took another bite of her chocolate chip cookie.

L raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"Check. You completed the first part of your plan."

L understood and decided to ask, "What did you do today?"

"I bought a big cookie."

* * *

Today was To-Oh University Entrance Ceremony. L and Light were both the freshmen representatives. They were chosen to give a speech because they had scored high marks in their entrance exams. After they present their speech L planned to reveal himself as L to Light. He decided he was safe because nobody (besides Watari) knew L's true name. E thought his plan was foolish, but she didn't comment on it. L slipped on some battered white sneakers and purposely left his shoes untied. When he was done he looked over at E. She was in her usual clothing today, working quietly on the laptop.

"Are you leaving the hotel today?"

"No. We made a deal. Remember?" E replied. Her eyes were glued to the laptop screen, typing swiftly on the keyboard.

L shuffled towards the door and said, "Alright. I'm going now."

E didn't comment. L turned and left the hotel.

E let a few minutes pass before she stood up and checked the door. It was unlocked. She glanced around the area. There was no sign of L. E confirmed L left the hotel. E started getting ready to leave.

Thirty minutes later E was in her disguise and ready to leave the hotel. She grasped the door knob, but it wouldn't open.

_L…_

E noticed a white piece of paper that had been slipped under the door. She crouched down and read the note.

_I forgot to inform you. You have to stay in the hotel today. Have fun. _

_From __Ryuzaki._

E frowned at the note.

_Sneaky._

Luckily E was prepared for this situation. She knew L was lying about not locking the door again, like she lied about not leaving the hotel.

E reached her hand under her wig and pulled out a hair pin. She looked at the pin that was pinched between her fingers with a smile on her lips. It took a few seconds to unlock the door. E pushed the door and it opened. She left the hotel and didn't come back until midnight.

* * *

"You left again."

"You locked the door again."

"How did you get out this time?"

"I will not reveal that information."

L sighed and E asked casually, "Did you reveal your identity to Light?"

"I did."

"Check. What's your next plan?"

"I'm going to play tennis with him."

"Stupid."

* * *

L was out playing tennis with Light. E thought it was stupid. However she took this as the perfect opportunity to leave the hotel. E changed into her disguise and tried to open the door. It was locked. E pulled a hair pin from under her wig and tried to open the door, but it wouldn't unlock. E crouched down and looked through the key hole and saw a chair holding the door closed.

_At least L learnt his lesson._ E thought.

E thought of an escape plan. She glanced around the room, looking for something to open the door with. Five minutes passed and E still hadn't found anything useful. She was irritated. E was starting to dislike L (more than she originally did).

E needed sugar. She popped a lollipop in her mouth and stood still as she glanced around the room.

Her eyes landed on a vase.

_Perfect._

E set her laptop on the coffee table and turned it on, she then walked over to the table and pushed the vase and it shattered to the floor. It broke. E sat on the floor in front of the laptop, putting her headphones on and acted natural.

As expected E heard Aizawa ask if she was okay. E didn't answer on purpose. She heard Aizawa grunt in annoyance before removing the chair from the door.

"Aizawa." Matsuda said worriedly. "Ryuzaki ordered us not to open the door."

"I don't care. Didn't you hear that noise?"

"I did, but-"

"Then shut up and give me the keys!"

A few seconds later the door opened and Aizawa and Matsuda walked in.

"What happen?" Aizawa asked.

E took her headphones off and looked at them, "Pardon?"

"What happen?" Aizawa repeated with a frown.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Aizawa wasn't in the mood to argue with E. He glanced around the room until his eyes landed on the broken vase.

"How did that drop?"

E followed Aizawa's gaze and saw the broken vase, "I have no idea. I was working, so I didn't hear a thing."

Aizawa sighed in annoyance.

"Well then." E stood up. She grabbed her black bag from the couch and threw it over her shoulder. She walked passed Aizawa and Matsuda and said. "I'm leaving."

"Wait! You can't!"

"But Ryuzaki said-"

"I'm leaving." E stated, ending the discussion as she walked out of the room.

"Oh no, now we're in big trouble." Matsuda said in a worried tone.

* * *

"Are you really sure this was just caused by over work?"

"Light! What are you saying?"

"Mom, he had a heart attack, who wouldn't make the connection? I mean, that's the way every single one of Kira's victims died."

"To be honest that's exactly what crossed my mind as I was going down." Soichiro said from the hospital bed.

"You're head of the task force in charge of this case. Kira has more than enough reason to want you dead." L said. "A murder attempt by Kira, hm… we can't rule it out completely."

Sachiko's eyes widened in panic.

"Sachiko. Light's here now and besides, I'm alright. You go on home and not a word about this to Sayu. I don't want to upset her."

"Alright then." Sachiko stood up, she kissed Soichiro and Light on the forehead. "I'll be back tomorrow with some more of your things."

Soichiro said after Sachiko left the room, "I don't think it was Kira. Well, now that I think about it, being under all this fear of being killed by Kira I haven't had a good night sleep in months. I was asking for it."

"Indeed, having your own son under suspicion must be an emotional strain as well."

Light looked at L with disapproval, "You told my father I'm under suspicion?"

"Yes. I've told your father everything, including the fact that I'm L."

Light was taken aback by the new information. He whipped his head towards Soichiro for confirmation, "That's right. This man is L. To protect his identity, we on the task force refer to him as Ryuzaki, but make no mistake. It's him." Soichiro turned his eyes on L. "So Ryuzaki, has talking to my son cleared away your suspicions?"

"No. To be honest all his comments regarding to the Kira case were just too one-the-ball. It has made me suspect him even more."

"Hey. Saying that to me is one thing, but don't say things in front of my dad that will upset his condition. Try having a little consideration Ryuga."

"It's alright Light. An ambiguous answer wouldn't make me feel any better. I'd much prefer hearing the truth. Even though you're under suspicion I understand it's not quite enough to make you an actual suspect."

"That's correct. You seem to misunderstand me a little Light. When I say I suspect you, you should know it's very minor. We've gone over this but I'll explain it again."

In the past few minutes L explained to Light about the twelve FBI agents that were murdered by Kira, including Raye Penber unusual behaviour at the train station before he died.

"I understand, and I was one of the people Raye Penber was investigating before he died. It only makes sense I'd be a suspect. No. To be more precise, there's no one else you could suspect."

"I find Light's deductive powers quite impressive. He's always quick and to the point."

"Ryuga, I'd like to help with the investigation. My father has erased any doubts I might have had regarding your true identity. I'd like nothing more than to catch Kira so I can prove once and for all that I'm not him."

"No Light." Soichiro objected. "This is the time in your life when you should be studying to become a police officer. It won't be too late to join us once you're done."

"Come on dad, what are you talking about? Who knows how many years that will take? Besides, don't you remember my promise that if something ever happened to you I would find Kira and make sure he gets executed."

_It's hard to believe this is just an act. I mean, if it is an act, it's just way to corny. _L thought to himself as he kept his eyes on Light.

"Light." L addressed the eighteen year old. Light turned his head to face L and waited for him to continue. "What kind of person do you think Kira is? What's your image of him?"

"My image of Kira…" Light murmured slowly. He thought for a moment before answering. "I think Kira is an affluent child."

L continued to stare at him, interested in his answer, "An affluent child? I like it, go on."

"If as assumed he can kill people just by willing it. If a human being had that kind of power using it to get rid of criminals and at the same time making it an example to others to make the world a better place is something only a child would think of doing. I'd say he's anywhere from a fifth grader to a high school student. If it was anyone younger than that they'd either be too scared by that power to use it, or they'd use it to kill people they didn't like. If it was anyone older than that. An adult. They'd only use it for their own personal gain. You could think of tons of ways to use that power and become really rich. Kira still has some purity about him. He's an affluent child who already has everything he needs. I'd say he's properly a junior high school student who has his own cell phone, computer and TV."

_Purity…? I wouldn't agree with that, but otherwise his profile matches mine exactly, and he even included the possibility of Kira being a high school student, which is what he was himself until just last month._

"So according to your profile Light, the most suspicious of our present targets would be your sister, Sayu." L said casually, as if what he had just said wasn't a big deal.

"What is the matter with you?!" Light shouted, he quickly stood up from his chair and made his chair screech as it got pushed back. "Did you come here to wish my father well or to finish him off?!"

L shrinked, "I was only drawing the obvious conclusion from your own speculations Light."

"Stop it, both of you." Soichiro said sternly, "Nothing you say is going to faze me at this stage in the game, but if you're going to fight, take it outside." Soichiro sounded like a father, that he is, scowling at his children. "This might just sound like a fond father talking but I'm absolutely certain that Sayu is not Kira. If anything she's the type who'd kill someone she didn't like and then cry her head off about it."

"You're right." L agreed.

"Kira is evil, there's no denying that. But lately I've been starting to think of it more like this, the real evil is the power to kill people. Someone who finds himself with that power is cursed. No matter how you use it, anything obtained by killing people can never bring true happiness."

"You're absolutely right Mr. Yagami. If Kira is an ordinary human being who somehow gained this power, he is a very unfortunate person."

When the men finished their discussion Light left the room to go to the bathroom while L stayed behind. L and Soichiro were speaking when suddenly E walked into the room in her usual clothing, a white shirt with faded pink jeans.

"Toshiko!" Soichiro exclaimed, his eyes wide. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you died of a heart attack, so I came to pay my respect."

"I'm not dead."

"I can see that." E said as she took a seat beside L. He stared at her with his black-rimmed eyes before asking. "Who told you Mr. Yagami died?"

"Nobody. I assumed Light killed you."

"My son will never do that!" Soichiro sat up, yelling. The machine next to him started to beep furiously.

"Please calm down Mr. Yagami." L said. Soichiro laid back down on his bed and took a deep breath. L looked back at E and asked. "How did you get out of the room?"

"Aizawa opened the door."

"Hm…" L hummed in annoyance. "Well then, how did you get here?"

"I walked."

L raised an eyebrow, "From the hotel?"

"I heard Light's speech." E ignored L's question, "_If something ever happened to you I would find Kira and make sure he gets executed._" E repeated Light's words. "Very cheesy."

L stared at E. That was the same thought he had earlier.

"You overheard our conversation?"

"I did."

"How?"

E ignored L, yet again and she asked Soichiro, "How are you feeling Mr. Yagami?"

"I'm fine." Soichiro answered. He closed his eyes and sighed, "I apologise for yelling at you." Soichiro apologised because he would hate if anyone yelled at his daughter, Sayu. E was still a young girl.

"Do not apologise Mr. Yagami. You did nothing wrong."

"I also want to apologise to both of you. I'm sorry about collapsing like this, but I'll be back at work as soon as I can."

"Mr. Yagami you need to rest until you're fully recovered." L said.

"He's right."

L turned his head to look at E, "You didn't answer my question." he stated.

E stood, "I should go before your son arrives back." she reached her hand into her pocket and pulled out a lollipop and handed it over to Soichiro. "I hope you get well soon Mr. Yagami."

Soichiro stared at the sweet being offered to him for a second before taking it, "Thank you."

E nodded and left the room. L watched her leave and continued to stare at the door until Soichiro said.

"Toshiko can be thoughtful."

* * *

"Ryuga, what would it take to get you to believe that I'm not Kira? Please, isn't there something?"

"If you aren't Kira it won't be necessary. Let things run their course and the truth will be revealed."

L and Light stood outside the hospital. The nurse informed them visiting hours were over, they nodded and let Soichiro rest for the night. L wondered how E travelled back to the hotel (if she was at the hotel). L was certain E was lying about walking to the hospital. He concluded Marilyn must have driven her back to the hotel.

"I can't take this anymore!" Light raised his voice. "Put yourself in my position. How do you think it feels to be accused of being Kira?"

L glanced up to stare at the starry night and thought for a moment before tilting his head to the side to look at Light, "It was one of the worst feelings ever."

L heard a snort.

E.

L glanced around his surroundings with his eyes without turning his head, trying to look for E. He'd made sure to be careful so Light wouldn't notice he was looking for someone.

"What if you were to lock me up for a month in a place with no TV or any other kind of access to the outside world and keep a constant watch over me?"

L peered back at Light curiously and answered, "That's no good. I can't do anything that would deprive you of basic human rights and furthermore, it's completely nonsense for the investigator to take suggestions from his suspect."

L finally found E. She was in the hospital. By the exit. Right behind Light.

_What if Light's sees her? Why isn't she being careful?_

"I understand." Light muttered in defeat.

Watari opened the car door for L to enter and he said, "Don't worry so much. Be patient. It'll become apparent to us if you're not Kira and listening to that conversation between you and your father, I was almost convinced you might not be him. Light, please take good care of Mr. Yagami."

"Oh, one more thing, I know I agreed to help with the investigation but I don't think I'll be able to do much until my father is healthy again."

"Yes, of course. Well, then." L trailed off as Watari pulled away from the driveway.

"Watari."

"Yes." Watari replied as he drove, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Could you please stop the car and park in the corner right there?"

"May I ask why?"

"Toshiko is at the hospital."

"Alright."

Watari parked the car and shut the engine, "Would you like me to fetch Toshiko?"

L was looking at the car mirror, "No, Toshiko is making her way."

L was right. E was walking down the street, towards the car.

Watari got out of the car and greeted E, "Hello Toshiko."

E eyes widened slightly. She was surprised to see him, "Hello Watari. How are you?"

Watari smiled kindly, "Very good and you?"

"Ecstatic."

Watari nodded, "Glad to hear." he opened the door for E to enter. L heard (eavesdrop) the conversation between Watari and E. He was very curious as to why she was happy.

E looked at Watari with confusion, "You want me to get in the car?"

Watari chuckle softly at E's confusion, "Of course, we wouldn't let you walk all the way back to the hotel."

E nodded, "Thank you." she stepped into the car and took a seat beside L, sitting in a cross-legged position.

Watari sat back down in the driver seat and started driving the two young detectives back to the hotel.

"You really walked to the hospital?"

It took a moment for E to reply as if she was considering something, "Yes."

She was lying.

L decided to ask, "Why are you feeling ecstatic?"

E smiled at the question. She turned her head to look at L's curious eyes and replied, "I saw Light talking to himself."

L stared back, "When?"

"When you left, before Light walked home I saw his lips moving. Unfortunately I didn't hear what he said, but I caught one word."

"How?"

"I can lip read."

"What did he say?"

"As I said, I only caught one word."

"What was it?"

"He said 'power'."

L stared at her, not impressed by her answer, "Is that all?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you happy about it?"

E tore her gaze from L and focussed her attention on the window and watched as they passed several buildings, "I don't know."

* * *

It was six o'clock in the morning. Last night L sent the task force home to freshen up and rest for the night. L thought it was a good idea to let them go home for the evening because they haven't gone to their homes for the past week. The men should arrive back in an hour.

As usual L was awake all evening due to his sleeping disorder, but E disappeared again. She arrived back at four AM. A few minutes later she walked in the living room in her usual clothing and sat down in front of the laptop. The two detectives didn't speak to one another. They both worked silently on their laptops. Two hours later E stood up from her seat and walked out of the room. L wondered where she went. Right after E left the room Watari walked through the door with a tray of coffee with a bowl of sugar cubes. The task force arrived thirty minutes early today. They were working in another room.

Thirty minutes later L heard someone walk into the room. L glance up and saw E wearing a blonde wig with a red shirt and a pair of leather pants. She walked over to the couch and looked through her bag. L watched her.

"You're going out again?"

"I am." E replied as she continued to look through her bag.

L frowned at her response, "You're not going out."

"I think you realise by now that I will disobey your orders."

L continued to frown at her, "I'm starting to think you leave because you don't want to be here."

"You finally realised."

"Why do you always leave the hotel?"

"I'm not interested in this case. It's difficult to work when I'm bored. Nothing is happening. Light is Kira and we're not doing anything to try and prove he is. You're just playing tennis with him."

L, yet again frowned at her sarcastic response, "If you want to prove Light is Kira then please do. I do not see you doing anything yourself."

E finally turned around to face L, "You want me to prove Light is Kira?"

"Yes."

"By myself?"

"Yes."

"No."

L raised an eyebrow, "No?"

"No. You brought me here to help you. I can do it myself but I'm not going to."

"Why is that?"

"Because I don't want too, as I said, I'm not interested in this case."

"If you don't want to be here then leave."

E stared at L in the eye with a quirked eyebrow, "I can leave?"

L realised what he had just said, but he decided, "Yes."

"Bye."

"Huh?" L said, confused. He didn't expect E to actually leave.

"Bye." E threw her bag over her shoulder and she walked out of the room.

* * *

It was three o'clock in the afternoon and the task force were in another room working while L drank his cup of coffee alone in the living room. L hasn't seen E since this morning. It seemed she left for good. L was annoyed because he let her get to his nerves. All morning L thought about her behaviour since she started working on the Kira investigation and realised it was her plan all along. To annoy L by leaving the hotel as much as she could until L gives her permission to leave the investigation. Well, she did a great job.

There was a knock on the door. It must be Watari with his cake.

"Enter."

The door opened revealing Marilyn.

L glanced up to see who'd entered. He stared at her, "Marilyn? Are you here to collect Toshiko belongings?"

Marilyn shook her head, "No. I came to have a word with you."

L stared at her with his wide, curious eyes, "Oh? About what?"

Marilyn took a seat on the couch and looked at him, "Toshiko informed me you gave her permission to leave the investigation."

"I did."

Marilyn stared at him seriously and said sternly, "Tell her to stay."

L was taken aback by Marilyn words, "Why?" he asked. "Toshiko doesn't want to be here. She never has."

"I know, but I'm sure you've noticed Toshiko has been leaving the hotel most of the time to irritate you so you would give her permission to leave the Kira investigation."

"I realised."

"Believe it or not, Toshiko hardly ever goes out. She's always inside working. It's very rare for her to go outside, but now it's difficult keeping her inside."

"You've spoken to her about her constantly leaving the hotel?"

"I have."

L paused for a moment. He silently watched her as he thought about her words, "Marilyn."

"Yes?"

"Did you ask Toshiko to work on the Kira case?"

"I did."

"Why?"

"I won't tell you that." Marilyn said. "All I'm asking is keep her here. Let her continue working on the Kira case. I know she will help you."

"Wouldn't it be better if she left? She's clearly isn't happy here."

"I want her to stay here." Marilyn looked at L in the eye. "Talk to her. Make her stay."

L thought about her proposition. He did want E to stay. It was a mistake telling her she could leave the case. At least now L has permission to use any needs necessary to keep her here.

L nodded, "Alright. I'll talk to her but she's stubborn."

Marilyn smiled, "Thank you."

* * *

An hour has passed since L discussed his scheme with Marilyn. E will arrive back to the living room to collect the rest of her belongings. That's when L will talk to her and make her stay.

The door opened and E walked into the room with an empty bag in her hand. She wore her usual clothing. She wasn't in one of her disguises.

Time to start his scheme.

L stood up from the couch and stood behind E.

E shoved her belongings into her bag, when she was done she threw her bag over her shoulder and turned around to be face with L. Before E had the chance to speak, L said. "You're staying here."

E knitted her eyebrows, "What are you talking about?"

"You are going to stay here and continue working on the Kira investigation with me."

"You gave me permission to leave the investigation."

"I changed my mind."

E frowned, "I'm not going to listen to you."

"Yes you are. We made a deal. We passed your tasks. You are going to stay until we catch Kira."

"You're correct. I did say that." E looked at L in the eye with her raven-like eyes. "But I also changed my mind."

L saw E was about to walk pass him but he blocked her with his body.

E frowned, "Let me pass."

"No."

E stared at him in the eyes for a minute. L stared back with determination. Once E was certain L was distracted she moved her body to the right. L reacted, but she quickly moved her body to the left and tried to pass him, but L was faster. He blocked her with his body.

"You're not leaving."

"I am. You can't stop me."

"I can. I've already informed the men, all I have to do is call them in here and they will hold you back."

"Marilyn won't allow that."

"Oh, but she will."

"We'll see about that." E said and she threw her heavy bag at L. He lost his balance and fell on the ground. She ran passed him, but L called Aizawa, Ukita and Matsuda to the room. Before E had the chance to escape, the men ran into the room, blocking the door.

"Don't allow Toshiko to leave this room." L ordered the men. The men nodded slowly as they stared at him oddly. L ignored the stares and stood up.

E turned around to face L, the look of fury on her face was completely unexpected. E had only ever been irritated, annoyed, or bored in L's presence. He hadn't thought E was capable of something as strong as rage.

"You don't understand I don't want to be here."

"I do, but I want you to stay."

"Toshiko is leaving-" Matsuda started to ask but he was interrupted by E.

"Fine. Trap me in here. But trust me, I will find a way out. I always do." E's cool tone was betrayed by the anger in her eyes.

Watari walked through the door, "Ryuzaki, something seems to be happening on Sakura TV."

Everyone in the room turned their heads to the side to look at the TV (including E) and they watched the TV screen.

"In other words, all of our reporters and staff here are Kira's hostages. Aside from that we have a professional obligation to share this message with you. I assure you that this is not a hoax and that Sakura TV is not airing this tape for the purposes of sensationalism."


	10. Chapter 10 Team

Chapter 10: Team

"Kira's hostages?"

"What is this?"

The men gape at the TV screen while L and E studied the screen. They had put all their focus on the screen as they listened carefully to the reporter.

"Four days ago our program director here at Sakura TV received four tapes. After a thorough examination there could be no doubt that they were from Kira himself."

Slowly at the same exact time L and E made their way to the two single couches and sat down in their usual position in front of the TV while Aizawa, Ukita and Matsuda crowded around the TV and continued to watch the screen with the two young detectives.

"The first tape we received contained a prediction regarding the time of deaths of two suspected criminals who'd recently been arrested and as predicted at the exact time that Kira had specified both men died suddenly of heart attacks yesterday."

L's eyes flickered towards E. She noticed a pair of eyes on her so she turned her head to the side to look at L. The two young detectives stared at one another for a brief moment before turning their heads back towards the TV screen and continue listening to the reporter.

"Kira has instructed us to air this second tape today at exactly five fifty-nine PM and we do intend to comply with his demands. This tape should offer proof of his powers by predicting yet another death. Beyond that we understand that it contains a message to all the people of the world from Kira."

"This has to be another fake, don't you think?" Ukita asked in alarm as he continued to watch the screen with wide eyes.

"I doubt it." Matsuda answered, his voice getting quieter as he went on. "I'm pretty sure even Sakura TV wouldn't stoop that low."

"And now the video." the reporter said.

The screen changed to a white background and in the centre of the screen the word 'Kira' was written in the same style as L's Old English style.

"I am Kira." a voice masked in a deep voice said.

L analysed the screen. _Fuzzy machine, garbled voice and handwritten letters. Obviously recorded on a home video camera. Gothic font of the same type I used when I did that broadcast. Is that out of rivalry? Or is that all he could come up with? Either way this is just too childish. Is that on purpose?_

"If this video is being aired on exactly April eighteenth at exactly five fifty-nine PM as I requested then the time now is five fifty-nine, forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine. Please change the channel to Taiyo TV. The news anchor Mr. Kazuhiko Hibima should die of a heart attack at exactly six o'clock."

"Change it." L ordered. Watari obeyed his orders and changed the channel. On the screen there was a man slouched in his chair, dead.

"How could he!" Ukita cried out, outraged by the sight in front of him.

"Change the channel back." L commanded. "And I need you to bring us another TV Watari. No, make it two."

"Yes." Watari answered as he left the room in a hurry.

Kira continued in his synthetic voice, "I will present you with another victim. My next target is NHN TV commentator Mr. Seiji Komaizumi who's scheduled to appear in a live broadcast. He too has dared to defy Kira."

"Ryuzaki?" Matsuda murmured, awaiting L's next orders.

"Change it to channel twenty-four." L instructed. Matsuda pressed the button on the remote and the image changed. There laid another dead man, slouched in his seat. L said in a soft voice. "Please change it back."

"Now that you've seen proof of my powers you should have no trouble believing that I am Kira."

_Kira said that he was going to send a message to the people of the world. _

L eyes widened in realisation when he understood Kira's plans, "Stop this broadcast! We can't let him finish!" L blurted out. E flinched at his tone. That was unexpected. She turned her head and watched him. L eyes were glued to the screen as he watched the screen with a critical expression. E knew at this moment this was the detective L, not the man that had been annoying her in the past week.

"Get Sakura TV on the line!" Matsuda exclaimed as he ran over to the phone that was set on a nearby table.

Aizawa immediately began calling the station and sighed in frustration, "It's no good. I'm trying but none of my contacts at the station have their phones on."

Matsuda added, the phone pressed to his ear, "And nobody is picking up at reception either."

"Damn it!" Ukita shouted as he ran over to the exit.

"Ukita!"

E slowly turned around from her seat to watch Ukita storm towards the door, "I'll stop this broadcast myself if that's what it takes." he ran out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

E held onto the back of the seat as she continued to stare at the door Ukita had just ran out from. L tore his eyes away from the TV screen to look at E and saw her staring at the door in thought. He wondered what she was thinking about at that moment.

"People of the world please listen to me. The last thing I want to do is kill the innocent. I hate evil and love justice. I've always thought of the police as allies, not as enemies."

E turned around to face the TV once again when she heard Kira speak. She listened to Kira's words silently when she heard, "Damn you Kira." E turned her gaze on L and saw he had his thumbnail in between his teeth, frustrated by his inability to do anything.

In the past few minutes L and E listened to Kira's words while Aizawa and Matsuda continued to try and contact a member of staff from Sakura TV but with little success. Watari and Marilyn entered the room with two televisions and set them in front of the two detectives. Once Watari and Marilyn set up the TVs in the room Marilyn left the room while Watari stayed behind. E glanced at the three screens in front of her in a fast pace but froze when she saw Ukita outside Sakura TV. He pulled out his gun from his jacket and pointed the weapon at the glass door when suddenly Ukita froze, his knees buckled and he collapsed onto the ground.

"Kira." E murmured. L heard E speak and he turned his head to the side to look at her and saw she had her eyes glued to the TV screen. L turned his attention on the screen E had been staring at and saw Ukita laying on the concrete floor.

"Aizawa! Look!" Matsuda exclaimed when he saw Ukita laying on the ground. Aizawa shot his head towards the TV screen and gasps at the sight.

"As you can see someone has collapsed just outside the door. Again we're coming to you live from the Sakura TV building."

"Ukita... Damn it! Kira did this!"

Aizawa stood completely still as he stared at the TV screen with wide, teary eyes. After a few seconds he frowned deeply, giving the screen a dark look before dashing towards the door, before he had the chance to leave L said in a harsh tone, "Mr. Aizawa. Where are you going?"

Aizawa stopped in his tracks and answered, "Where do you think? I've got to go there!"

"You can't. Please think about this rationally."

"What?" Aizawa yelled. "You want me to just sit here and watch TV?"

Aizawa reminded L of E at that moment. E had once said those words.

L said, "If this truly is the work of Kira you'll just meet the same fate if you go there."

Aizawa spun his body to face L and said in the same tone he's been using in the past minute, "You told us that Kira couldn't kill without a name. So how could this happen?"

"The aliases and fake police IDs were worthless. What are we going to do L? You don't think Kira has all our names already, do you?" Matsuda asked in an overly worried tone.

"That's a definite possibility." L admitted. Matsuda stiffened. "However, if that's the case you think it would be easier for him to kill off the entire task force before making a move. Initially I deduced that Kira needed both a name and a face to kill but from what we've just seen I'd say it's not entirely impossible that Kira can kill with only a face. All I know for sure is that Kira is either in that TV station or he's somewhere close by. In a place where he can watch everyone who enters the building." he said, his voice getting quieter as he went on. "Perhaps he's in the-"

Aizawa cut in, interrupting L, "If Kira is in the area then isn't that why we should get down there?"

"For all we know he could have just placed surveillance cameras in the area. If we rushed down there unprepared all of us would be killed-" L suddenly stopped speaking when Aizawa grasp L's shoulder.

E turned her head to look at the men and watched the scene with wide, curious eyes.

Aizawa's grip tightened as he yelled, "Wasn't it you who said we would have to risk our lives to catch Kira?"

"I meant what I said, but risking my life to catch Kira and doing something that I know it would cost me my life are two entirely different things."

In the corner of Aizawa's eye he noticed a pair of dull eyes watching him. He tore his eyes from L to look at E. He growled at her. Aizawa despised the way E looked right now. She looked like a curious little child as if all of this wasn't happening right now.

Aizawa lost his cool and yelled at her, "What about you?! You love to go out in your disguises to solve your cases!" he let go of L's shoulder and storm towards E. "Go and stop Kira!"

E sat in her seat and continued to look at Aizawa with her child-like eyes. That pissed him off even more. Without thinking Aizawa snatched E's injured arm and tug her out off her seat. E whimpered softly at the slight pain in her arm. "Well, go on then. Stop Kira!"

"Aizawa!" L said in a harsh tone when he noticed E's discomfort. L stood up from his seat and grasp Aizawa's arm, making him let go of E's injured arm. Aizawa turned to look L with a scowl but his eyes widened a little in surprise when he noticed L was shaking, "Please control yourself. We've lost Ukita. I understand you want to go there but if something was to happen to you as well..." L trailed off, his voice laced with regret.

Aizawa and Matsuda stared at L in shock while E watched him with interest. L climbed back into his seat and sat in his usual position. E followed his example and sat back down on the couch. Aizawa backed away slowly while Matsuda went back and continued to try and contact someone from Sakura TV.

L stared blankly at the carpet with his dead eyes as E continued to watch him with interest. Suddenly she reached her hand forward and pressed her index finger on his knee. L perked up and tilt his head to the side to look at E, "You're shaking." she stated as she removed her finger. E looked at him in the eye and asked. "Why?"

"Because of tonight's events."

"Because of Ukita?"

L nodded.

"You're really upset that Ukita died?" E asked, genuinely interested.

"Yes. Aren't you?"

E didn't comment.

Suddenly L and E heard a loud crash from the television. They shot their heads towards the TV screen and saw a van smashed into the Sakura TV building.

"A vehicle has just driven through the front doors of the station!" the reporter announced.

"Well, that's one way to get into the building without being seen by Kira." L commented.

"But who would...?"

"We're still outside Sakura TV. As you can see a police car has just arrived." the reporter informed the public.

"So we're not alone." Matsuda said in astonishment. "There are still other officers out there who are willing to stand up to Kira."

"Mr. Aizawa. You know Deputy Director Kitamura's cell phone number, right?" L asked. Aizawa nodded in response. L instructed Aizawa to contact Deputy Director Kitamura. Aizawa followed his orders and he handed his cell phone to L.

"This is L. There's something I need you to do for me. There may be police officers who would see this broadcast and feel moved to take action in the name of justice. If you don't take control of this situation quickly there will be a disaster."

The cell phone in L's hand suddenly disappeared. L stared at his empty palm for a moment in confusion. He turned his head and saw E had the cell phone in her hand. She pressed the speaker (so she could also listen to their discussion) and she handed the phone back to L.

"But technically we are not supposed to be involved in this case. Huh?"

"Two police officers have just collapsed on the sidewalk. I think we may be in danger. We're moving away from the scene."

Everyone in the room heard a sigh from the phone, "I understand L. I see your point now. Tell me what I should do."

Right after Deputy Director Kitamura said those words Watari's cell phone began to vibrate in his breast pocket. He fished out his phone and checked the I.D caller. Watari informed L and E, "It's Detective Superintendent Yagami."

As soon as E heard Soichiro's name she snapped her head towards Watari and she heard L say, "Call him back immediately and give me the phone."

"I need to speak with Ryuzaki!"

"Yes it's me. Mr. Yagami, so you're the one driving the police van." E jumped out off her seat and pressed her cheek against L's so she could hear Soichiro's reply. L forgot the situation for a split second because of E actions. He was slightly surprised.

"I couldn't just sit and watch. I've confiscated all of the tapes. I'm bringing them to you."

"What about your condition? Are you alright?" E asked. L looked at her.

"I'm feeling just fine Toshiko. To be honest with you I don't think I've ever felt more alive. So what do you think I should do now? I'd say going up the front would be too dangerous but I could always use the police van again."

"Please hold the line for a second." L requested and he began speaking to Kitamura from the other line. "Deputy Director Kitamura it was Chief Yagami who just drove into the building. Are your preparations complete?"

"It's done as you requested."

L switched phones, "Mr. Yagami. Listen carefully. In exactly five minutes I want you to come out from the front entrance."

"You want me to exit through the front entrance?"

"Yes, we promise you will get out safely." E promised. Soichiro agreed to do it.

L ended both calls while E removed her cheek from L's and sat back down in her original seat. L's cheek felt cold after E left. L touched his cheek with the palm of his hand.

E noticed, "I apologise."

L looked at her, "Why are you apologising?"

"For pressing my cheek against yours. I apologise if that made you uncomfortable."

"It's alright. I wanted you to listen to the conversation."

"Thank you."

L lifted his eyebrow, "Why are you thanking me?"

"For stopping Aizawa."

L remembered their earlier disagreement they had with Aizawa. L said, "I think Aizawa owns you an apology."

Aizawa heard (L made sure he did) and he turned his head to look at the two detectives. He frowned but otherwise apologised, "I'm sorry for my behaviour earlier on. I was upset."

"We understand." L said and he looked over at E. She was staring at the carpet, thinking.

Twenty minutes had passed since Soichiro walked out of Sakura TV and drove back to the hotel. Since then it's been very quiet. L concluded Kira had decided to stop because he wasn't able to murder the policemen outside Sakura TV because they were in protective gear.

The door creaked open and walked through the door was Watari, carrying Soichiro by the shoulder.

Matsuda turned around and exclaimed happily when he saw his Chief, "Chief!"

"Welcome back Chief." Aizawa added.

"Ryuzaki. Toshiko. I apologise for taking matters into my own hands." L stood up from the couch and walked over to Soichiro while E stayed seated on the couch, facing the TV screen. Soichiro continued, "I have to admit I got a little bit carried away. Here." he handed a brown paper bag to L. "These are all of the tapes and an envelope. Everything Kira sent to the station is in here."

L took them and said gratefully, "I can't thank you enough."

"I think I better rest for a minute."

Watari helped Soichiro to the couch. E turned her head slightly and watched them. After Watari helped Soichiro lay down on the couch E stood up and walked over to Soichiro. She watched over him. Soichiro stared at her curiously. E crouched down and pulled out a lollipop from her pocket and unwrapped it, placing it in her mouth.

E looked at Soichiro with the lollipop bulging in her right cheek and said, "I would offer you a lollipop but I'm afraid in your condition this won't be appropriate. I'll have Marilyn prepare you green tea and soup."

"Oh no. I can't-"

"I'll contact Marilyn right away." E stood upright and fished out her cell phone and dialled Marilyn's number.

L and Aizawa watched the scene between Soichiro and E. Aizawa thought it was strange of E to act friendly towards someone. What was she up too? L has noticed E has been very kind to Soichiro for some odd reason since she visited him at the hospital. Why is she only nice to him? E ended the call and returned to her seat.

L tore his eyes away from them and looked inside the bag. He pulled out the envelope and noticed they were sent from Osaka. _The postmark is from Osaka.__But Kira can control his victims before they die, so he could have delivered it from Osaka without going there himself._

L turned around and handed the bag over to Aizawa, "Mr. Aizawa. Can you please take this to the crime lab right away?"

"I still have a couple of friends down there. I'll make sure they go over every inch of this."

"That's good, please do so. While you're doing that I'm going to watch these tapes to see if they can tell us anything."

"I will also be watching these tapes." E stated from the couch. L turned his eyes to look at her. She had her head facing the TV screen.

"Very well."

* * *

"I'm surprised you want to watch these tapes with me." L commented as he put the first tape in the TV.

"Finally something interesting is happening."

"I see."

L and E were the only ones in the living room. Earlier Aizawa and Matsuda helped carry Soichiro to a room for the night for him to rest. After they helped their Chief the men left the hotel to go to the crime lab to get the envelope examined. The living room was pitch black, the only light in the room was the brightness from the television screen. The two young detectives planned to listen to all of Kira's tapes tonight.

L sat down on the couch next to E and he looked at her with a stern expression, "Before we begin I must know if you're going to stay and cooperate with me on the Kira investigation. If not, I will not allow you to watch these-"

"I understand." E interrupted. "By asking to watch these tapes it's clear I will cooperate on this case with you."

"Why the change of heart?"

"Tonight's events were interesting."

L didn't comment. E leaned forward and pressed the button from the remote control to start the tape.

"Shall we begin?"

In the past hour L and E have been examining the tapes in silence, letting the bright screen shine in their faces as they listened to every word Kira had to say. At the moment they were listening to tape number four.

"I want the police official and L to appear on TV to make a public announcement that you plan to cooperate with Kira."

E glance away from the screen to look at L and stated, "You're going to die."

"Only if I agree to appear on television."

"But you won't."

L nodded.

"Do you have a plan?"

"Not yet."

"I will help you."

L tore his eyes from the screen to look at E, he was surprised by her words, "You're going to help me?"

E nodded, "We're a team."

A few hours ago E was planning to leave the Kira investigation, now she's volunteering to help him. L couldn't help but think E might be bipolar.

"I realise I was being difficult during my time working on this case but that was because I didn't want to work on this case, now I do. Things are going to change now. I will cooperate with you and help you catch Kira."

Silent fell between the two detectives as L considered her words. He was pleased E was going to start cooperating on the Kira investigation, but he couldn't help but wonder why the change of heart. L had a feeling it was because of tonight's events.

"I'm glad you're going to start cooperating with me but why the change of heart?" L asked as he looked at her in the eye. He noticed her bags under her eyes were dark. When he first met E her eyes were slightly dark but now her eyes nearly matched his. L wondered how much sleep she's been getting lately.

"Truth is we lost Ukita tonight and Mr. Yagami hasn't recovered from his heart attack. In total you have three people working on the Kira investigation. You need all the help you can get and with me working on the team it's like having fifty-six people working with you."

_She's very accurate..._

L shook that thought off and decided to ask his other question, "You are very fond of Mr. Yagami. Why is that?"

"It's because his son is Kira. He's a good husband, father and man. I feel sorry for him."

* * *

"Well, what do you make of these?" Soichiro asked the two young detectives the next morning.

"They were definitely interesting." L answered and E continued. "If the police had said "yes" and agreed to cooperate with Kira, tape number three was supposed to be aired."

"Tape four if the answer was "no"." L added.

E had a laptop resting on her lap, typing rapidly on the keyboard as she explained, "Tape three covers the terms of cooperation. Put simply he's requesting that we broadcast the names of more criminals."

"He seems particularly interested in those who have insulted others or those who have somehow hurt or taken advantage of the weak and defenceless." L muttered in a bittersweet tone. "Of course Kira would play the role of a judge on all of this."

"Furthermore as proof that the police are willing to cooperate he wants police officials and L to appear on TV to make a public announcement that we plan to cooperate with him." E said as her pale fingers moved swiftly over the familiar keyboard.

"He needs us to reveal our faces. That way he can kill us if the police do anything suspicious. In other words he will hold our lives as insurance." L finished with a negative note.

"I see." Soichiro sighed. "So what about the content of the fourth video if we were to answer "no"."

"The wording was different but he more or less says the same thing." L answered. "Mr. Yagami, it should go without saying that the answer is "no". Please have someone take tape number four over to Sakura TV and authorize them to broadcast it."

Soichiro nodded, "Alright." he turned to face the door and left the room. Aizawa followed his Chief out the door while Matsuda stayed behind as he stood behind the two detectives. L took notice of this and turned his head to look at him. Matsuda noticed L's gaze, he looked at him and smiled brightly but his smile faded when he noticed L's facial expression. He had a look that said 'leave'.

Matsuda understood. He nodded and he walked towards the door and stepped out, closing the door behind him.

Once L and E were alone in the living room again L turned his head to look at E and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm researching."

"About what?"

"Kira."

"Hm..." L pressed his thumb to his lip. "Have you found anything useful?"

"I have."

"What is it?"

"I looked at the victims he used for his prediction on tape number one. Their purpose was to prove to Sakura TV staff that he is Kira. Both their names were only reported in tabloids and daytime talk shows so they weren't exactly hardened criminals. In the past Kira has traditionally avoided killing innocent people with the exception of those who were trying to catch him."

"It doesn't sound like the criminals he would normally kill."

"Exactly. It's not like him."

"Do you think this is the work of a fake Kira?"

E didn't comment.

L said, "I think it is."

E asked, "What's the probability of a fake Kira?"

L thought about it for a moment before answering, "Seventy percent."

"It would be shameful if you were killed by a _fake_ Kira."

"I won't be killed by any Kira. Real or fake." L said, his voice stern. He then glanced up at the ceiling in thought. E knew he was making up a plan.

"What's your plan?"

"I'm going to ask Light Yagami to assist us on this investigation."

E quirked an eyebrow, inviting him to continue, "Why is that?"

"His deductive ability would be invaluable to us right now."

"Tell me the real reason L."

"I told you to address me by Ry-"

E didn't give him a chance to finish his sentence before carrying on, "Why are you going to ask Light to cooperate with you?"

L sighed softly in annoyance at being interrupted but he answered anyway, "Because by letting Light work with us we could find the Second Kira quicker."

E tilt her head to the side as she looked at him with her child-like eyes, "Is that the name you've decided to give the fake Kira?"

L nodded.

E glanced away and thought for a second before saying, "By doing that it could help Kira and the Second Kira find each other and kill you."

"I won't let that happen. There's one of them and two of us."

"But when they join forces we will be equal."

"Then we will see who's the best."

E turned her head back to look at L, "Alright. I'll allow Light to cooperate with you on this case, but I don't want Light to know E is involved in the Kira investigation."

L nodded, "I understand." he looked at her in the eye and asked. "When Light is here where will you be?"

"In one of the bedrooms, monitoring his movements. Marilyn will set up cameras around the hotel room."

"Alright. Let's start working together E."

* * *

~Author's Note~

Chapter ten which means double-digits baby! I say we celebrate! Oh, and I guess we should also celebrate L's and E's new partnership... I guess that's more important. XD

LET'S CELEBRATE WITH A JOKE!

What did the lawyer name his daughter?

Sue.


	11. Chapter 11 Chess

Chapter 11: Chess

"How are you feeling today Mr. Yagami?"

"I'm fine. Thank you Toshiko." Soichiro said as he closed the door behind him, he walked in further into the room and took a seat on the couch. He glance up to look at L and said, "Ryuzaki, I'm afraid it's as you thought. World leaders have talked it over among themselves and they're demanding that L, not a stand-in, but the real L appear on TV."

Aizawa and Matsuda were seated on the couch, looking at their Chief as they listened to him while L and E sat in the centre of the room, shoving mouthfuls of cake into their mouths.

Soichiro continued, "After doing _almost _nothing to help with the investigation they don't even try to come up with some alternative. If Kira says jump they'll ask how high."

"Their decision is both right and reasonable." L made a loud slurping sound as he took a sip of his coffee. "It's simply unacceptable for the police to work with Kira and if it's between me and the NPA Director General, of course it should be me. I'm the one who challenged Kira and said I'd capture him. It's the right decision."

"But that means you'll be…" Matsuda trailed off.

L ignored Matsuda and continued, "What worries me more is that when I appear on TV and I attend to."

E snorted.

L ignored E and continued, "If Kira knows nothing about me then even if it's really me out there, how do I get him to believe I'm L?"

"You got a point." Matsuda said.

"Well I'll do what I can to make him believe me. If I fail and police Chiefs around the world get killed as a result that's what bothers me." L put a whole strawberry in his mouth and said with the strawberry in his mouth. "It'll be quite difficult proving that I'm L. I really don't know how Kira intends to figure it out."

"Well, we still have three days before it happens. I'll try to come up with a way to prevent the whole thing. Maybe we can find some countermeasure. After all this it would really annoy me," L shoved a forkful of cake into his mouth and said with a mouthful of cake. "If I'm killed by the first person who jumped on the Kira bandwagon."

"What do you mean by that?" Soichiro asked.

"There is a strong possibility that this Kira is a fake." E answered. "We should think of him more as a Second Kira."

The men in the room gasps in shock by the new information and they instantly started shooting questions at the two detectives.

"A Second Kira?!"

"I don't understand." Aizawa said. "Why do you think he's a copycat? How did you come to that conclusion?"

"I considered the possibility of him being an accomplice but find that to be unlikely. Watching the first video is what made me think of it. This first video wasn't aired but was made to convince Sakura TV that the sender was actually Kira, it was made to be viewed by Sakura TV staff only." E said and L continued. "The first envelope is postmarked April thirtieth. It arrived at Sakura TV the next day and three days after that the murders announced in the video took place."

"But if murders announced three days in advance actually happened I'd say that's pretty convincing." Matsuda said.

L said as he played with his cake, "I was not convinced that the sender was Kira."

"Why not?" Aizawa asked. "I don't get it. I watched this video too and I never thought…"

L glanced up to look at Aizawa, "Didn't you get the feeling that the victims here were completely different from Kira's past victims?"

"It's not just that their crimes were much too minor. TV celebrities caught with some drugs is something only women's magazines make a big fuss about." E sucked on her straw, swallowing her chocolate milkshake, "I actually went and checked and as of April thirtieth the only television coverage it had received was on daytime tabloid shows." she stared at the men intensely behind her milkshake. "Doesn't that strike you as strange?"

L said after E finished explaining her thoughts, "Director Demegawa and others at Sakura TV use tabloid shows stories as fodder all the time so it properly didn't seem suspicious to them. But I'd say these victims are clearly unlike the others. The real Kira has absolutely no need to prove himself with such small fry and he wouldn't even think of it. It would be much more his style to hold off killing one or two of his usual hard-core victims until the appointed time and kill them then. That would be convincing, but if a Second Kira wanted to make people think he was the real Kira he couldn't use a criminal that the real Kira might actually eliminate before the Sakura TV people saw his video. If he gave advance notice of a serious criminal's death the real Kira might get him first and if the time and date he announced were off Sakura TV wouldn't believe him."

"Maybe he deliberately used someone that the Sakura TV people would know. Well, I guess that's pushing it." Matsuda suggested and Aizawa added. "Yeah, but I don't think we can differently say it's a Second Kira just from that."

"Toshiko." Soichiro addressed E and asked. "If you had to put a number on that, what's the probability of a Second Kira?"

"I'd say it's more than seventy percent." E answered as she set her milkshake down on the coffee table and pulled a lollipop out from her pocket. "I really don't like the way he operates. It's not like Kira."

"Not like him?" Matsuda murmured in confusion.

E explained with the lollipop in her mouth, "The way those videos were made. It's just too sloppy and I'm not only talking about the bad lettering. It's the sound too. He's playing back sound recorded on other equipment and taking it in through the video camera's mike. At places where I assume outside noise got in. He rewound the tape and did it over. Ordinarily you would transfer the sound by connecting the tape recorder to the video camera with a cable. You wouldn't use the camera's mike. This is just too amateurish."

L took over, "Then making a TV network broadcast these tapes and using police Chiefs as bargaining chips. It was obvious that doing things like that would arouse public hostility against him. Plus those TV announcers who were killed were innocent victims. If I were Kira I'd be pretty furious." L took another bite of his cake before continuing. "So far aside from people who were after him, Kira avoided attacking innocent people. His method was to make his views gradually penetrate and change society. Kira's aim is not a dictatorship based on fear."

"So maybe these fingerprints are actually…" Aizawa murmured as he stared at the fingerprints in his hand.

"Fingerprints?" Soichiro asked, confused.

"The lab found matching fingerprints on the postage stamps and videos that didn't belong to the Sakura TV staff."

"We thought there was no way Kira would leave prints." Matsuda added.

"So we thought he made someone else handle the stuff."

"I'd say it's possible the prints are the Second Kira's. It would be smarter to leave no fingerprints at all. But if there is a Second Kira out there he's far less intelligent and methodical than the real Kira. It could be he didn't think about the videos and packaging being seized by the police." L said as he played with the strawberry on his plate while E snatched the fingerprints from Aizawa's hand and examined the prints. Aizawa grunted. L continued. "Well even if we restricted our search to Japan it would be impossible to take fingerprints from everyone in the country, so it would be difficult to pinpoint the sender with this. We have to catch him first and then compare the prints."

"Interesting thought. How little these fingerprints are." E murmured as she held the fingerprints in front of her face. "A child's or a small woman's."

"That tallies with what my son said to you at the hospital about Kira being an affluent child." Soichiro said, reminding L of their conversation with Light at the hospital.

"Whether it is Kira or a Second Kira, perhaps your son is right."

"I thought about it further on the assumption that it's a Second Kira, even if the two Kira's don't kill people in the same way." E said after she finished examining the fingerprints. She set the prints down on the coffee table and continued speaking. "I believe that if we capture one we'll gain some clues at least as to how to capture the other one. In my estimation the real Kira is the smarter of the two and if I were him I would try to find out who the Second Kira is before the police do. I would gauge whether he sympathized with me and if he did, I would make full use of him and ultimately before the police close in, I'd eliminate him."

L kept his eyes on E during her explanation, watching her with his black-rimmed eyes. When she finished speaking L glance away to look at the men and said, "That means we're in a race with Kira to track down the Second Kira which in turn means we have the opportunity to capture the real Kira."

After the two young geniuses finished explaining their thoughts and ideas to the task force they glanced up to stare at the men in front of them with their dark, dull eyes and asked, "Anymore questions?"

The men shook their heads.

E leaned forward to take a hold of her chocolate milkshake from the coffee table and she started sucking the straw, swallowing the sweet liquid while L turned his head towards Soichiro and asked, "Mr. Yagami, I'd like your permission to ask your son to cooperate with us on this investigation."

"If you want my son to join the task force does this mean you no longer suspect him?"

"Well, I can't say that he's been completely cleared, but his deductive ability would be invaluable to us right now."

"If my son wants to cooperate with you then I have no reason to prevent it."

"I appreciate that." L slowly pressed his thumb to his bottom lip. "However please don't tell him that we think this latest Kira might be a fake. I don't want him to know that yet. We want to make it appear to him that we're still chasing the same Kira."

"Are you serious?" Matsuda said with knitted eyebrows. "But wouldn't that make working together a bit difficult?"

"He's right." Aizawa agreed with the goofball. "Why even bother asking him to work with us?"

"Well, I didn't mean _indefinitely_. I'm curious to see what his impression of these tapes will be prior to knowing ours. Light's deductive reasoning is really quite incredible. He may suspect that these tapes are the work of a Second Kira, an impostor or a copycat imitating the original."

"But the basis for the Second Kira theory is that the victims of these recent killings are minor criminals who don't fit the normal profile. Without hearing our explanation how would Light ever know that?" Aizawa asked with a raised eyebrow, waiting for L's explanation.

"Yes but there's more to it than that." E finally pulled the straw away from her mouth to explain to the men. "The suspect that we've been pursuing up until now has needed both a name and a face to kill his victims, but there is something different happening here."

L took over for E, "Recall that Mr. Ukita was killed the moment he arrived at the station and this Kira demanded only that I appear on TV but made no request for my name."

"This implies that the Second Kira only needs to see a person's face to kill them." E finished.

"I'll ask Light to look over all of our information as well as our video evidence. If he comes to the conclusion that there could be a second suspect, then he'll be almost completely cleared the suspicion in this case." L said. E rolled her eyes, but nobody noticed.

"But how will that prove anything?" Soichiro asked.

"Logically if he is really Kira he'll want me dead seeing as I'm the one leading the investigation against him right now and the way things are going if I comply with this new subject to demand that I appear on TV in three days there's a very good chance I will die. I can't see the real Kira jeopardizing such an easy opportunity to get rid of me."

"Are you suggesting that if my son does not come to the same conclusion there's even a greater chance that he is guilty?"

"No. In that case there will still only be a five percent chance. We will inform him that we are investigating the possibility of a copy cat and have him cooperate with us as planned. From now on use your fake names, even here. Watari and Marilyn will not be coming here anymore while Light is here."

"We're going that far?" Aizawa murmured, mostly to himself.

"Wait." Matsuda piped up. "If Light is going to start cooperating with us, then that means he will have to come here."

"That's correct." L said.

"So Light will meet E- err, I mean Toshiko, right?"

Soichiro, Aizawa and Matsuda turned their heads towards E and waited for her answer.

"No. When Light is present I will be monitoring his movements in one of the rooms. I already had Marilyn set up cameras and wiretaps around the hotel room."

"You still don't want anyone to know you're working on the Kira case?" Aizawa queried.

"That's correct."

"Why can't you put one of your disguises on and pretend you're a police officer?" Matsuda suggested.

L looked over at E and waited for her reply. Matsuda had a good point.

"I don't want Light to see any trace of my face, even if I'm in a disguise."

"Why is that?" Soichiro asked curiously.

E pulled out a new lollipop from her pocket and replied casually, "Because Light is Kira."

"What?!" the three men shouted in unison, shocked by E's response.

Soichiro said, horror written on his face, "But I thought there's only a five percent chance?"

"That's L's perspective. Not mine."

"Call me Ry-" L started to say but he was interrupted by Soichiro. "How much do you suspect my son?!"

"Hm…" E pretended to think of her answer, "Hundred percent." she answered casually as if it weren't a big deal as she popped the lollipop back in her mouth.

"WHAT!" Soichiro yelled. E flinched at his tone. He was loud. Soichiro stood up from his seat so fast that he pushed a plate with cake on it by accident and it fell on the floor.

"Please calm down Mr. Yagami." E ordered with a frown on her face. She was slightly annoyed that he pushed a perfectly good cake on the carpet.

"Calm down?! How am I supposed to calm down when you're a hundred percent certain that my son is Kira?"

"Hm… I suppose you're right."

"How long have you suspected Light of being Kira?"

"On my first day working on this investigation."

"What? That long! What makes you think Light is Kira?!"

E shift forward and reached her hand under her seat and held the object in front of the men, "Because of this."

The men stared at the small, silver TV with confused gazes while L turned to look at E with his thumb pressed to his lower lip.

_So, she planned on telling them about the TV today._ L thought to himself.

"What's that?" Matsuda asked in confusion as he scratched the top of his head.

"It's the TV Light used to kill those two criminals while we monitored him."

Soichiro eyes widened in realisation when he remembered that day, "It was in the bag of potato chips." he murmured slowly in realisation as he continued to stare at the TV in E's hands.

"It was."

"Why did you lie to me?"

E glanced up to look at Soichiro in the eye and said, "Tell me Mr. Yagami. Now knowing Light did _in fact_ hide this TV in his bag of potato chips, do you now believe Light is Kira?"

"Of course not!"

"That's why I didn't tell you."

Soichiro sighed in defeat and he sat back down on the couch, "So that's why you suspect Light." he said softly as he stared at the carpet.

"Yes."

The room fell silent as Soichiro continued to stare at the carpet in thought while Aizawa and Matsuda watched their Chief with worried expressions. The two young detectives weren't bothered by the atmosphere they'd created.

"Well then." L took his last bite of cake and said. "Mr. Yagami, please contact Light and ask him to come over."

* * *

An hour had passed since Soichiro contacted Light and asked him to come over to the hotel. Light called a few minutes ago to notify the task force he will arrive in five minutes. L organised Aizawa to go downstairs to get Light and bring him up to the hotel room when he arrives.

Everyone was setting up in the other room while E sat on the single couch in the living room as she poured syrup heavily on her bowl of popcorn. L stood beside E as he watched her pour syrup on her popcorn. A moment ago L entered the room to inform E Light will arrive shortly and to ask her a question, but he got distracted by the amount of syrup E was pouring on her popcorn.

"That's a lot of syrup." L stated as he watched her pour syrup onto her popcorn with his index finger pressed on his bottom lip.

E ignored L's comment as she held the bottle of syrup above her head and poured the syrup into her mouth.

L watched her with wide eyes.

E pulled the bottle away from her mouth and sighed in content.

L asked, "Is that healthy?"

"Of course not." E answered as she licked her lips. "But it's delicious."

_Hm... I should try this one day in the future._ L thought to himself as he continued to stare at her.

"Has Aizawa and Matsuda set up the room for Light yet?"

L pulled his finger away from his lip and answered, "They have."

L then remembered his earlier question he wanted to ask E so he went ahead and asked.

"Why did you decide to inform the task force about the TV?"

"They deserve to know." E simply replied as she shoved a handful of popcorn into her mouth.

"Why today?"

E glanced up to look at L, "Would you have liked me to inform the men this piece of information after we catch Kira?"

"Why today?"

E sighed. It looks like L wanted a _real_ answer, "Because I want them to start suspecting Light."

"Why?"

"If we all start suspecting Light we will not argue with each other. We will work together as a team and catch him and the Second Kira. Mr. Yagami for instance, he will _never_ believe Light is Kira unless he sees Light acting as Kira right in front of him. Mr. Yagami will be difficult to convince, he's a lost cause. But I'm certain I can convince Aizawa, Mogi and Matsuda to start suspecting Light. It will make my job easier while I'm here. I do not want to argue with them all the time." E glanced away from her bowl to look at L and she asked. "You suspect Light, right?"

L nodded, "I'm a hundred percent certain he's Kira."

Right after L said those words the two detectives heard a knock come from the door. L told Aizawa earlier when he walks back to the room with Light make sure to knock on the door first before he lets Light enter the hotel room, so E has a chance to go inside her room.

E set her bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table and stood in front of L and said, "Good luck." she then walked passed him and shuffled off towards her room, closing the door behind her and locking it.

L turned around and walked out of the living room and he instructed Matsuda to answer the door.

"Thank you Light." L said as he shook hands with Light.

"Not at all." Light smiled politely, but you could tell the smile on his perfect face was a lie. "After all I want to catch Kira as much as you do Ryuga."

"I'll have to ask that you call me Ryuzaki here."

"I'm Matsui." Matsuda introduced himself with a grin on his lips.

"I'm Aihara." Aizawa said, following Matsuda's example.

"And I'm Asahi." Soichiro added.

"Yes, of course. Then perhaps I should call myself Light Asahi?"

"Yes, please do. To keep things simple from this point on I'll call you Light. Let's get down to work." L said as he walked over to the room where Light will be examining the Second Kira tapes. Light followed behind and L explained. "You can start by looking over all the information we've collected. I'd also like you to examine these videos. They were sent to the TV station but were never aired. For security reasons you are not permitted to take notes and all materials must remain here."

Light took a seat in front of the TV and said, "I understand."

"We will begin now."

* * *

In the past thirty minutes Light has been watching the tapes quietly as he concentrated on listening to the Second Kira words while the task force watched him. L stood on the side and kept his eyes on Light the whole time, analysing his reaction towards the videos. Light looked irritated. Was he irritated by the videos?

Suddenly, L heard a slight gasp from Matsuda. He tore his eyes from Light to look at Matsuda and right behind him he saw E. L watched her walk over to the coffee table and grabbed the bowl of popcorn and hugged the bowl to her chest. E felt someone watching her. She turned her head to the side and looked at L. He watched her curiously while she looked at him with a blank expression. E reached her hand into the bowl and shoved a handful of popcorn into her mouth. L couldn't help but think how she resembled a hamster with large amount of food in their little mouths. E turned around and walked back into the room.

Matsuda turned around to give L a nervous glance. L looked at him for a moment before tilting his head to the side, indicating Matsuda should go in E's room and check on her.

Matsuda nodded in understanding. He walked to the room and opened the door slowly and entered the room without knocking (in case Light notices). Matsuda closed the door quietly behind him and he glanced around the room. He spotted E sitting on the bed in her usual sitting position with the bowl of popcorn resting on her lap, she had her eyes glued to the two TV screens in front of her as they displayed L, Light and the task force.

"What is it Matsuda?" E asked. She didn't bother to glance up to see who'd entered, she already knew who it was by watching the footage on the TV screen.

"Why did you leave the room?"

"I forgot my popcorn." E simply replied, as if that was the obvious answer.

"Light could have seen you."

"I know."

"What would you have done if Light saw you?"

"I would have introduced myself as a police officer. Light isn't aware E is working on the Kira investigation or what E looks like. I'm almost certain if he has heard of E's existence he would assume E is male. Like you did." E threw a few pieces of popcorn in her mouth before saying. "So in conclusion he would have believed the lie."

Matsuda nodded. E words did sound reasonable, "That's true. But if you ever need to get anything outside the room again while Light is here you can call me and I will get it for you." he said with a toothy grin. He was certain E would appreciate his offer.

"No thank you."

"What?" Matsuda said, taken aback by her answer.

"No thank you." she repeated as she continued to eat her popcorn.

"B-but why?"

"I have Marilyn to do that for me."

"I can do it too!"

"No thank you."

"But-"

"Leave."

"Huh?" Matsuda knitted his eyebrow in confusion. "What?"

"Leave."

"Why?"

"I want you to go back to the room and continue monitoring Light."

"But-"

"Go." E said in a stern tone. That was the same tone E used last time when Matsuda tried to help her with her arm. Matsuda knew he had to leave now before it was too late.

Matsuda glanced down to look at the white-cream carpet and nodded slowly before he turned around and left the room. He sighed to himself. That was the tenth time E has turned down his offer. For some reason every time Matsuda offers to help E she always declines his proposal. Matsuda decided to forget about it for the time being and concentrate what's going on right now. When he left the room he saw L beside Light, asking.

"So what do you make of this Light? Have you come to any conclusions?"

Light stood up from his seat and answered, "It's hard to say for sure, but there might be another person out there with Kira's power."

"With Kira's power?" Soichiro asked. "What do you mean by that Light?"

Light gestured back at the screen with his thumb, "At the very least I'd say this tape was not created by the Kira we're familiar with. It's extremely out of character for him to use these kinds of victims for his killings, and since we've established that he needs a name and a face to kill it makes you wonder how he was able to kill that detective and those two officers right outside the television station like that."

Aizawa said in awe, "It's the same."

Matsuda added, "That's almost exactly how L- I mean Ryuzaki said it."

"I think you are exactly right about that. We also believe that this is the work of a Second Kira." L admitted. Light looked displeased by the reply.

"So you knew about this all along Ryuga, sorry, Ryuzaki? Which means this was just another one of your tests?"

"It wasn't my intention to test you. The truth is if I was the only one who thought there was a Second Kira it wouldn't be too convincing." L said, not mentioning E, who also believes there's a Second Kira. "But the fact that we both came to the same conclusion makes the theory that much more believable. As expected you did not disappoint us. You've been a great help. It's decided then. First: we must focus on stopping this copy cat. From what we've seen he sympathizes with the real Kira but clearly lacks the sophistication. I think he might even be willing to obey the original. If so we could lure him into a trap by sending our own message from the real Kira."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You literally took the words right out of my mouth."

"Oh, and Light, I would like you to play the part of the real Kira."

"Huh?" Light said in confusion. "Me, as Kira?"

"Yes. You are the only one I can think of who would be able to pull something like this off. At any rate we don't have time to waste. Do you think you could script a message from Kira in time for it to be aired on this evening's national news?"

* * *

After spending an hour with the investigation team Light left the hotel and took a taxi home for the evening. In Light's last hour in the hotel he wrote a letter by the original Kira. L read over the message and decided it was good to be aired. He gave the piece of paper to Aizawa and he sent the message to the TV station. Light left the hotel five minutes ago and E still hasn't exited her room. L decided to go and check on E.

L stood outside E's room, he raised his fist and he knocked on the door softly.

"Enter."

L opened the door and entered, closing the door behind him. He saw E sitting cross-legged on the bed with a laptop in front of her, the bright screen was lighting up her face as she spoke on the phone.

"Yes, chocolate cake. Thank you." E said before she ended the call.

"Was that Marilyn?" L asked as he walked closer to her.

"It was." E glance up to be faced with L. "How did it go?"

"You know how it went."

"I do, but I would like to listen to your point of view."

L nodded in understanding, "It went well. I predicted Light would-"

"Light tried to kill you."

E cut off L's sentence. A small frown crossed his features at being interrupted. She cut his sentence short as if she didn't care. She just asked him how it went earlier just to be polite.

L's mind finally registered what she had said. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Light wrote "You're free to kill L." he tried to add that part hoping you wouldn't change it."

"I know."

"I thought he was smarter than that."

"Oh?" he looked at her. "How so?"

"You won't allow Kira, anyone in that matter to kill you. Light knows this, yet he attempted to add that part. Did he really think you weren't going to notice and let it be announced on national news for the Second Kira to see?"

"I see."

E stood up from the bed and walked passed L, "Come on L. Let's continue working."

"It's Ryuzaki." L corrected in a mumble as he followed E out of the door.

Matsuda turned around where he was standing from when he heard E depart the room, "Hi Toshiko!" he greeted with a big smile on his face. "Would you like anything? I can get you whatever you want!"

"No." E replied as she took a seat on the couch. L sat down beside her.

"But I can-"

"No."

"It's no trouble, please I can-"

"Matsuda." E looked at Matsuda and she said in the same tone as earlier. "I said no."

Matsuda nodded slowly, he turned around and left her alone. All he wanted to do was help E in any way he can. He honestly doesn't mind bringing her milk, popcorn or lollipops. He's more than happy to do it. The reason why Matsuda wants to assist E is because he has a feeling she doesn't like him very much. Matsuda thought if he can be useful to E she would start liking him.

Matsuda heard the entrance door open. He glanced up and saw Marilyn carrying a tray of chocolate cake.

_That must be for Toshiko._ Matsuda thought to himself.

Matsuda stared at Marilyn for a moment before a grin appeared on his face when he thought of a _brilliant_ plan to get E to start liking him. Matsuda quickly moved his feet and practically ran over to Marilyn. He stood in front of her and asked, "Is that for Toshiko?"

Marilyn smiled, "It is."

"Can I take it for Toshiko?"

Marilyn raised an eyebrow, "That's very kind of you Matsuda, but I think Toshiko would like me to take the cake to her."

Matsuda looked at Marilyn with his puppy dog eyes, "Please. I promise I won't do anything wrong. I'm only going to set the tray down."

Marilyn thought for a moment about his proposition. A few seconds later a kind smile appeared on her face and she said, "Alright Matsuda, you can take Toshiko's cake for her."

Matsuda grinned, "Thank you!"

Marilyn held the tray of cake in front of the young man as he took it happily in his hands. Marilyn gave Matsuda one last smile before she turned around and left the room. Matsuda turned the opposite side and walked into the living room. Matsuda entered the room and saw E in the same position she was in earlier. He said as he walked towards her, "Toshiko, I brought you your-"

Suddenly, Matsuda's sentence was cut off when he tripped over and fell face flat on the floor.

Matsuda heard Soichiro and Aizawa gasp. Slowly Matsuda lift his head up from the floor and he instantly wished he hadn't. The cake now layed on top of E's head. Matsuda lowered his head and tried to disappear. Matsuda dared not to look in her eyes for fear of turning to stone.

E stared at the monitor in front of her with a blank expression.

The men in the room stared at E, slightly frightened by her next moves. L turned his head to the side to see what had happen to E. He scanned her from head to toe and saw chocolate cake laying on her head. He brought his thumb to his bottom lip and watched her as he waited patiently to see what she was going to do.

E set her pale, naked feet onto the floor and stood up (little pieces of cake fell on the floor). Everyone stayed silent as they watched E walk out of the room without saying a single word.

Soichiro said after E exited the room, "She's mad."

"How do you know Chief?" Matsuda asked from the ground.

"My mother was the same when she was mad, she wouldn't say a word. That was truly frightening."

Matsuda swallowed the lump in his throat.

Aizawa shot his head towards Matsuda, who still laid on the ground and said, "Matsuda! How stupid can you be?" Aizawa couldn't believe what Matsuda had just done.

"I'm sorry!"

"I'm not the one you should be apologising too!"

Matsuda laid his face on the carpet and mumbled, "I know."

* * *

After the incident between E and Matsuda the men continued working in another room while L stayed behind in the living room. He was perched on one of the many armchairs, shovelling ice-cream into his mouth alone in the room.

L shoved the last spoonful of ice-cream into his mouth when he heard the door open. He glanced up and saw E pushing the door open with her foot. E had a pink towel wrapped around her head and a jar of strawberry jam in her hand with a spoon in her mouth. She closed the door with her foot and made her way over to L and sat down beside him in her usual position and she sat back in her seat and continued to eat her jam.

"Where have you been?" L asked. It's been over an hour since E disappeared after the incident with Matsuda. L thought E had left the hotel again but he heard the shower running in E's room. It was safe to say E was still in the hotel, but he wondered why she was taking a long time in the shower.

E pulled the spoon out from her mouth with a slight pop before answering, "I was taking a shower. Cake is quite difficult to get out of your hair."

L had a feeling Matsuda will have a difficult time trying to win E over from now on. As soon as that thought crossed L's mind he smelt something sweet. He continued to inhale the fragrance and recognised the scent. It smelt of strawberries and cream and the scent was coming from E. L scooted closer to E and inhaled her scent. He was now sniffing her, like a dog. L was rather distracted by E's scent.

"Could you please stop sniffing me?"

L backed away and apologised, "I apologise."

E nodded and asked, "Has Aizawa sent the message to the TV station yet?"

"He has. It should be aired in an hour."

"What should we do now?"

"We wait."

"Hm…" E shoved a spoonful of jam in her mouth as she sagged into her seat. She was bored. Waiting didn't sound like fun.

L could tell by her response that she wasn't pleased about doing nothing. E might pull out her laptop and start working on a new case. L didn't want that, so he thought of something to entertain herself with.

L set his feet on the floor and stood up from his seat. He wandered over to the TV and crouched down in front of it and opened the cabinet from under the TV. E stopped eating her jam and watched him curiously. L found what he was looking for and pulled it out from the cabinet before turning around and setting it on the coffee table. E watched L pull out a black and white checkered board with matching black and white game pieces.

It was a game of chess.

L looked at E and asked, "Would you like to play chess with me?"

E stared at him for a moment, the spoon still in her mouth before nodding her head slowly. She stood up and sat back down on the floor, cross-legged right in front of the coffee table. L sat on the floor, across from E in his usual sitting position.

"I'm going to win." E stated as she looked at L with determination in her eyes.

"So will I." L said with the same intensity in his eyes as he moved his white knight on the board.

* * *

The sound of chess pieces being moved on the chessboard echoed inside the living room in the past two hours as the two young adults played chess with one another. In total they'd played nine games. L was in the lead by one game.

"I thought you said you were going to win?" L mocked E as he moved his pawn. Comments like this one have been tossed back and forth between the two detectives during their games, but they weren't serious, it was almost like they were teasing each other.

"I will." E replied. Her eyes were glued to the board as she moved her knight and took out L's pawn.

During their game the towel on top of E's head was starting to get in the way because she was looking down at the board too much because of their game. E took the towel off and set it to the side and continued their game. Her hair was completely dry now.

This was the first time L saw her hair down (except the times she wore a wig). E has frizzy/wavy hair, she has the same hair as a lion, but L wouldn't go as far to say that because a lion hair is tidier than E's. L was nice enough to ask E if she went to take a shower or did she go out to sleep in a birds nest. E didn't comment. Instead she took away his Queen. L guessed that was her payback.

Right after E took away L's pawn she tied her hair up in her usual messy ponytail and asked, "Do you ever cut your hair?"

L eyes were glued to the board while he tried to figure out which piece to move next as he answered, "I do."

E raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure?"

"I am." L moved his piece and he glanced up to look at E. "Why don't you believe me?"

E shrugged as she looked at the board, "Because it's _very_ long for a boy."

L frown, "It's not."

"It is. It's almost as long as mine."

"You are incorrect. My hair is above my shoulders. Your hair is below your shoulders."

E moved her chess piece and looked back up at L with a grin on her face. L wondered why she was grinning at him like that. He looked back at the board and realised that she had won. E distracted L on purpose so she could win.

L looked back at E's grinning smile and stated, "You're sly."

"I know."

"Hm…" L pressed his thumb to his lip as he stared at the board. "Clever."

"Would you like to play another game?"

"Of course."

The two young adults played another two games in the past thirty minutes. The first round E won and the second round L won. They were even now. During their last game Watari and Marilyn entered the room with a tray in their hands and they set the tray down beside their companions. Before Watari and Marilyn left the room they smiled at each other and they left the two detectives alone.

Once they finished their last game they went ahead and went through their tray. L had tea with a bowl of sugar cubes and a mini bag of marshmallows. On E's tray she had a chocolate cake (a replacement from the earlier cake that ended up on her head instead of her mouth).

L poured himself a cup of tea and opened up the bag of mini marshmallows and added six into his tea along with five sugar cubes. E doubted his cup of tea was liquid anymore. It looked like some sort of paste. E watched L drink his cup of tea with no trouble. She looked away and thought people truly do learn something new every day. Apparently people can drink paste. E decided to stick with her solid foods and went ahead and cut herself a _large_ piece of cake.

L glanced up from his cup of tea and stared longingly at E's chocolate cake. Maybe L should offer her a cup of tea (a normal cup of tea) and she might feel obligated to give him a slice of cake.

"Do you want a cup of tea?"

"You want me to drink paste?"

"If you want."

"What do you want?"

"A slice of cake."

E glanced up to look at L for a moment before glancing back to look at her cake. She repeated this cycle several times before answering, "Mm, no. I don't believe I'm willing to part with any of my cake." she said as she shoved another forkful of cake into her mouth. E swallowed and looked at L with a smile.

L stared at her with amazement. Was E teasing him?

L watched E cut another slice of cake (a much smaller piece) and she pushed the plate over to L.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

L and E ate their cake in comfortable silence for awhile. Occasionally L would glance up to look at E and notice she was struggling to keep her eyes open, she was fighting to keep them open. L knew E was tired.

"Would you like to play another game?" E asked with a yawn after she finished eating her cake.

"No. I think you should go to sleep."

"I already took a nap."

L raised an eyebrow, curious when she took a nap. He hasn't seen her sleep since... well ever.

"When?"

"Three days ago."

Why wasn't he surprised by her response?

"You should rest for awhile."

"I don't need to rest."

Stubborn.

"You do. I noticed your eyes are starting to get darker."

"That's because recently I've been staying up a lot more often than I would normally."

L stared at E for a moment before realising.

"Since you started working on the Kira investigation?"

E nodded, "Yes. I just need a cup of coffee." she started to get up but L stopped her. "Stay. I'll go and get you a cup."

E shrugged, not really caring who got the cup of coffee as long as she gets it.

L walked to the kitchen and made a cup of coffee for E. Once the coffee was ready he walked back into the living room and saw E's head laying on the table with her eyes closed. E fell asleep on the coffee table.

L set the cup on another table and he walked over to E and stood beside her. He watched her with his thumb pressed to his bottom lip. L wondered what he should do. The best option to do was leave E as she was. It was best not to make Aizawa carry her to her room because L had a feeling she wouldn't be happy about being moved and Aizawa wouldn't be happy about carrying E to her room. L decided to leave her as she was, but he left the room and came back with a blanket in his hand and he put the blanket over her. L stared at her for a moment before he turned and left the room.


	12. Chapter 12 Theory

Chapter 12: Theory

"Light should arrive any second now. You should go to your room." L informed E as he watched her sitting on the couch, upside down.

As you can guess, E was bored.

"Alright." she sat upright in her seat and set her feet on the carpet and stood up. E walked over to L and asked. "What will you do today with Light? We still haven't gotten a response from the Second Kira."

"I don't know."

E rolled her eyes, "Fun."

"Just go to your room."

"Fine, I will."

The two young adults walked out of the living room together. E was about to walk into her room but before she could L said, "Oh, and before I forget we are moving hotels again tonight."

"Fun."

"Can you stop that?"

E looked at him with a quirked eyebrow, "Stop what?"

"Saying, 'fun' every time I say something you are not interested in."

"No." E said, she turned around and walked into her room, closing the door behind her and locking it.

L stared at the closed door for a moment before shaking his head and walking over to the entrance to meet Light.

"Ryuzaki. Light is here." Matsuda informed L as he entered the room and he saw Light by Matsuda's side.

"Welcome Light."

"Hello Ryuzaki." Light greeted with a charming smile. "Have you received a response from the Second Kira yet?"

"No. It's far too early for a reply." L lied right through his teeth. He believed it was taking quite some time for the Second Kira to send a reply back to Sakura TV.

Light nodded, "That's true."

"Please follow me."

In the past hour the task force spent their time in the living room, sat around the coffee table discussing about the Second Kira. Light sat back in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest as he listened to the men thoughts and ideas of the Second Kira. His expression varied between bored and irritated as if annoyed by the men theories of the matter. L observed Light's body language and facial expression and all he got from him in the past hour was bored and irritated. Light looks like someone L knows very well who's hiding in another room at the moment.

Suddenly the laptop beside L flashed to life as a W appeared on the screen, "Ryuzaki. We have a reply from the Second Kira." Watari notify L over the laptop speakers.

Everyone in the room shot their heads towards the laptop when they heard Watari's words. The men instantly stood up from their seats and crowded around L as they waited for Watari to continue.

"I'll be bringing over the envelope and tape that we've received and in the meantime I'm streaming a copy of the video so you can view it on your end."

Watari had also sent the video over to E's laptop so she could view the video too.

On L's laptop the W disappeared and it was replaced by the word Kira.

"Kira thank you for your reply. Please do not worry. I'll follow orders and do as you say."

"It worked." Soichiro said in awe.

"I really want to meet you. I don't think you have the eyes, but you don't have to worry. I will never try to kill you. That's a promise."

"What's this having the eyes supposed to mean?" Aizawa wondered out loud. "Is it a code?"

"Please tell me how I can meet you without the police knowing. You'll think of something, and when we meet we can confirm our identities by showing our shinigami to each other."

"Shinigami?" Aizawa and Matsuda asked in concurrent.

L began to scream with his hands in the air. He tipped over, the chair falling with him.

"Ryuzaki!" Aizawa shouted as he ran towards him. "Are you alright?"

L sat up from where he was sprawled on the floor and he stared at the screen with horror, "Shinigami? Am I supposed to believe that shinigami actually exist?"

Faintly, between the walls, the men could hear something that could only be described as laughter.

"That's impossible."

"Obviously they don't exist."

"Yes, that's right Ryuzaki. Listen to yourself. Of course shinigami don't exist."

L, who was still in shock slowly turned around to face Light, "You're probably right, but I remember that Kira had those prisoners write something suggesting the existence of shinigami."

"So based on that fact perhaps we're dealing with the same person after all. That will differently explain why we are hearing the same words." Soichiro suggested but Light disagreed.

"I don't think so because if this was the same person it's highly unlikely he would have responded to our video in the first place and why would he agree to let L live after going to all that trouble of getting him to appear on TV? The real Kira wants him dead, so it doesn't make sense."

While Light explained his thoughts L slowly started to calm down from his shock. He brought his hand to his nose and pinched the bridge of his nose while he listened to Aizawa's theory.

"Then maybe there's some other connection between the real one and this new guy. They could have already met and decided to use the word 'shinigami' as a way to confuse us."

"No. I'd say that's unlikely." L turned over his toppled chair and sat back on it. "It's as Light says. If the two Kiras were connected I don't think the impostor would be so willing to give up on his plan to kill me. All of this suggests to me that the copy cat has his own agenda and he is acting independently of the first. I believe his actual motivation is to meet the original."

"I think you're right." Light crossed his arms over his chest and said. "He's acting out of the interest in Kira. The word 'shinigami' could very well be some reference to their killing power. Saying, 'we can confirm our identities by showing our shinigami to each other.' probably means that they confirm their identities by somehow demonstrating their ability to kill."

"Yes that's it. Based on their messages we can assume that the word 'shinigami' must hold some other meaning that only the real Kira and the Second Kira are aware of. Now we just need to convince this copy cat to tell us what that is."

"So will you respond and force him to be more specific? We have to be careful how we handle this. We can't make it too obvious that we're asking otherwise he'll realize we're not Kira."

"No." L cut in. "From now on its best that we leave it up to the two Kiras."

"What do you mean?" Aizawa asked.

"I imagine that the Second Kira is probably quite satisfied with the current situation now that he has received televised response. He sent a message to get Kira's attention and as far as he knows he now has it. Also there's that word he used one that only the two of them would understand. We'll arrange to have this reply broadcast today on Sakura TV six o'clock news. Naturally this will be of interest to Kira and he'll be following this exchange between the copy cat and the one we had invented. Now if I were Kira himself my priority would be to prevent this impostor from coming into contact with the police. This is good for us because it means that the real Kira may feel pressured to respond this time."

"Okay." Aizawa nodded in agreement. "But let's say that he doesn't respond. Then what will we do?"

"Yes. I've been thinking about what the Second Kira might do if he gets no response. For one he might reveal more information that he knows Kira wants to keep secret to pressure him into a meeting. Of course that would make Kira nervous." L smiled. "It could be interesting. And what would be more interesting is if Kira sends a message of his own to prevent this from happening. Ideally this could provide us with the physical evidence we'll need to build a case against him. In the meantime let's gather all the information we can on this copy cat."

* * *

"That was an interesting video, wasn't it?"

The task force finished discussing their plan earlier and because it was getting late Soichiro told Light to go home and rest for the evening. A few minutes after Light left the hotel E exited her room and wandered over to the living room and took a seat beside L.

L answered, "I'm correct when I say you watched everything."

"I did." she sat down next to him and looked at him with a cheeky smile, "I also saw you fall from your chair." she snorted. "It was amusing."

L frowned. This was the first time someone was laughing at him and he didn't like it.

E ignored his frown and asked, "Why did you react that way when you heard the word 'shinigami'?"

L didn't answer, instead he asked a question himself, "Do you believe shinigami exist?"

"Of course. I've seen a lot of extraordinary things as working as a detective."

"Oh?" he turned his head to look at E on his side, his interest piqued. "Such as?"

E pressed her index finger to her lip and said quietly, "Don't tell anyone." L nodded. She leaned in forward and whispered in his ear. "Mermaids."

L eyes widened slightly with surprise while E backed away and sat back down in her seat. He turned his head to look at her and saw E grinning at him.

"You're mocking me."

"I am. Of course I don't believe in shinigami's."

"I think I'm starting to miss the old you."

* * *

L was seated on the couch as he played chess by himself while E sat on the couch, upside down with her eyes closed, but she wasn't asleep, she was thinking.

L glanced away from his game to look at E. He couldn't help but think she looked like a bat.

"You look like a bat."

"I don't know how to respond to that." she replied with her eyes closed.

L smiled and the two detectives heard a knock from the door.

"Enter."

The door opened and Watari entered the room and said, "Ryuzaki. Toshiko. A letter had just arrived from the Second Kira."

L averted his eyes from his game to look at Watari. E opened her eyes when she heard the news. L hopped off his seat, like a cat and he walked over to Watari and took the piece of paper from his hand.

"Thank you." he said as his eyes scan through the piece of paper.

"You're welcome." Watari said with a kind smile, he turned around and left the room.

E stood behind L and rose to her tiptoes and snatched the paper from his hand so she could read the information for herself.

L turned around to look at her and saw she had her back to him and he said, "It's interesting."

"Don't you mean stupid?" E said. After she read the information she let go of the piece of paper and she let it fall to the floor.

L frowned as he stooped down to pick up the paper and he asked, "Why do you say that?"

E walked over to her seat she was previously sitting on and said, "Didn't you read it? May thirtieth, 'we confirmed our shinigami at the baseball game at the Tokyo dome.' That's not going to work. It will cause panic to the general public. They will most likely cancel the game."

"Yes. You're probably right."

"Hm…" E hummed, she sat upside down as she closed her eyes with a lollipop in her mouth.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm thinking."

L followed E's example and sat down on his seat as he hugged his legs to his chest with his thumb pressed on his bottom lip. The two young detectives sat like that for a few minutes as they gathered up their thoughts.

E broke the silence between them and asked, "Are you going to show Light the journal?"

"I am."

"Are you going to cancel the game?"

"I am."

"May twenty-second, he's meeting a friend in Aoyama. Twenty-fourth, he's meeting another friend in Shibuya. What if there's some code in there that only the two Kiras can understand?"

L thought about it, "That's a possibility."

E opened her eyes and she looked at him with her large, brown eyes, "Would you like to expand your thoughts?"

L tore his eyes away from the wall to look at E's child-like eyes, "If there is a code in this journal we should set surveillance cameras in Aoyama and Shibuya on those days."

E nodded in agreement, "Yes, but I think it's best to listen to Light's thoughts about this journal and watch his reaction."

"You're correct. I'll ask Mr. Yagami to contact Light right away."

* * *

"He wanted the journal shown on TV?"

"Yes. This is it." Soichiro handed the piece of paper over to Light and he read the note.

"Please take a look at the entry he made on the thirtieth." L said. Light glanced back at the piece of paper in his hand and read it. Light was oddly quiet for some time. He didn't even notice L standing next to him. "What do you think? Is it real?"

L and Light stared at each other for a moment before Light answered, "At this point in time all I can say for sure is that he must be stupid."

"Yeah I agree. I mean it's completely obvious he wants to meet Kira at the home game." Matsuda said and Soichiro added. "Doesn't he understand what would happen if we aired the message? It would cause an immediate panic and the game would be cancelled."

L turned around, uninterested by the conversation and he sat down on the couch, "To be honest, it's so stupid." he popped a piece of chocolate in his mouth and said as he chewed. "I'm not even sure how to deal with this whole situation anymore. If we make the diary public then we are forced to make some kind of televised announcements cancelling the game on the thirtieth but if we don't broadcast it we can't be sure the Second Kira won't do anything."

"Won't cancelling the game make him angry?" Matsuda said, uneasy. "There's no telling what he'll do."

The men sat around the coffee table and waited for L's response while Light stood behind his father.

"Frankly that's not a big concern. From what we witnessed it's safe to say the Second Kira admires the real one. He gave his word to the Kira we invented that he'd refrain from killing aimlessly. I'm inclined to believe that. I say we make it public and we air an announcement cancelling the game. At the same time we'll announce that on May thirtieth we're going to set up check points on all roads leading to the Tokyo dome and finally we'll send a response from our invented Kira something like, 'I understand and I agree to meet you there.'"

"Ryuzaki. You don't honestly expect him to go there if we set up check points around the dome, do you?" Soichiro asked in incredulity.

"I don't think that Kira will even consider it but it's possible the other one might. It all depends on how stupid he really is." L replied, raising the diary entry to eye level, "However, assuming he's not actually an idiot we all think he is there could be another message hidden in this diary. One that is not so obvious. If there is a message here written in some code that only people who have this _shinigami power_ can understand there'll be no way for me to decipher it." he said, repeating E's theory, "Still, it would only make sense for us to look into all the places that were mentioned in the journal. On the twenty-second he's meeting a friend in Aoyama. Twenty-fourth he's meeting another friend in Shibuya. We have to be prepared for the possibility that all of our efforts would be fruitless. Let's keep an eye out for people with notebooks in Aoyama and people in clothing stores in Shibuya." L set the piece of paper on the coffee table and he rested his hands atop his knees. "All we can do is place more surveillance cameras in Aoyama and Shibuya in the hopes that we might capture something. We should also arrange to have undercover officers on both locations on these dates."

Matsuda smiled confidently and said, "I should probably go to Aoyama and Shibuya since I blend in with the crowd there, you know."

"I'll go too." Light volunteered.

Soichiro glanced up to look at his son, "But Light."

"I'll be alright. Don't worry. Aoyama and Shibuya are places I go anyway. Not to mention out of all of us I'll probably look the most natural hanging out with Matsui there. Besides, the only person the Second Kira is interested in is Kira."

_The only person the Second Kira is interested in is Kira… If Light Yagami is Kira that isn't a line he'd throw out so casually. I believe Kira would want to know who the Second Kira is. However, assuming the Second Kira can kill by only knowing a person's face, would Kira go to a place where he could possibly be seen by the Second Kira? No, if he assumes that the Second Kira will show up where undercover officers are going to be then he'd want to prevent any capture. If he's Kira he would want to find the Second Kira before us. He may have volunteered for that reason. Either way I don't know what kind of powers the Kiras posses. Who knows what meaning is behind the word 'shinigami' or how they will be able to spot each other? Thinking about things I can't understand will get me nowhere. The more time goes by the higher the chance the Second Kira could make contact with Kira. That much is certain. I'll just have to put this in motion._

"Light is right." L said, after he finished going through his thoughts. "He should go. I expect you to scan your surroundings closely and report to us if you suspect anything suspicious."

"We will. Don't worry Ryuzaki."

"Well then." L stood up. "You should head home Light. It's getting late."

Light nodded in agreement, "Alright."

L turned his gaze on Matsuda, "Mr. Matsui please escort Light out."

Matsuda nodded as he stood up from his seat, "Okay."

Right after Light said goodbye to the task force he left the hotel room with Matsuda and they walked out of the hotel together as they discussed their plans for their outing. There was a taxi outside the hotel, ready to take Light home. Before Light climb into the car he said, "Okay. We'll talk more about our trips tomorrow."

"Sounds good Light. See you tomorrow, careful getting home." Matsuda said. The car drove away and Matsuda walked back towards the hotel but before he had the chance to walk inside his cell phone started to vibrate in his back pocket.

"Yes?" he answered.

"It's Ryuzaki. When you two are working together I want you to keep a close eye on Light the entire time, and please keep this between you and me."

"Oh sure. Yeah, I understand."

E stood beside L with her arms crossed over her chest as she watched him end the phone call and put his cell phone away in his pocket.

"What is it Toshiko?" he asked when he noticed E's mood.

"Don't you think you look creepy looking out the window in the dark like that?"

"What's the real reason you're upset?" he said, ignoring her comment.

"Isn't it stupid to send Matsuda to Aoyama and Shibuya with Light?"

"Why is it stupid?"

"Because he won't notice Light meeting the Second Kira."

"Let me guess. You want to go out, in your disguise and follow them."

"You read my mind."

"Hm…" L thought about E's proposition for a moment before agreeing to her plan. "It's not a bad idea. Fine, you can go."

* * *

"Excuse me Light. What's going on here?"

"These are some of my friends from school." Light said as he gestured towards his group of friends.

Light's friends smiled and waved at Matsuda.

Matsuda bowed and said, "Nice to meet you."

"This is my cousin Taro. It's his first time ever in Tokyo and he wants to see Aoyama and Roppongi so I figured the least we could do is show him a good time. I'm counting on you guys. Oh yeah, he also told me he's looking for a girlfriend so does anyone want to volunteer?"

"Hey! I never said that!"

E sat on a bench, pretending to read a book as she listened to Light's and Matsuda's conversation. Light's group of friends laughed at Matsuda's embarrassment and they all started to make their way to the Note Blue. E stood up and put her book away in her backpack and she started to follow Light's group of friends.

Today E wore a pair of black jeans, a black t-shirt over a scattered red and black shirt and a black beanie hat. As for her hair E didn't wear a wig today, instead she left her hair down. E looked like your average teenager. It didn't take much work for her to look like a seventeen year old because she already looks like a teenager herself. E blends in well with the crowd.

E continued to follow the young group of adults for a few minutes. Nobody from Light's group of friends noticed E following them, not even Light himself. Though E did noticed Light kept a look out for anyone following them.

Was he looking for the Second Kira?

Everything was going well until someone bumped into E.

"Oh no! I'm sorry! I wasn't concentrating!"

E fell on the ground, landing on her back. It took E a moment to register what had happen. She groaned and she slowly sat up as she rubbed her head before glancing up to see a young man.

E studied the figure in front of her. She saw a pair of black jeans with a matching black t-shirt. E continued to elevate her gaze to look at the boys face. He was biting his lip as his thick, black eyebrows knitted together with worry and she saw a pair of bright blue eyes staring down at her.

The boy cheeks reddened when he saw E's face. He held his hand out and shuttered, "Are- are you alright?"

E nodded. She noticed the boy dropped his backpack on the ground and saw books scattered around her. She picked up one book and another until she started to pick up the books around her. The boy noticed E was helping him pick up his things, "I'm sorry. You don't have to do that." he apologised as he crouched down in front of E and started to pick up his belongings with her.

E ignored him and continued helping the boy pick up his books and putting them away in his bag.

E handed the last book to the boy, he glanced up to look at her and blushed when he saw her child-like eyes staring at him, "Thank you." he murmured as he took the book from her hand, brushing his hand on hers in the progress. The boy blush deepened as he shoved the last book in his backpack. The boy stood up and held his hand out for E to take. E ignored the gesture and stood up herself. The boy withdrew his hand and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment as he tried to keep the blood from rising to his cheeks. He said nervously. "Thank you. I'm sorry about bumping into you."

"No problem." E said, but she didn't have her eyes on the boy. She had her eyes on Light's group of friends as they made their way to the Note Blue.

"Are you-"

"I apologise but I have to go."

A flash of disappointment flash through the boys face, "Oh, okay. Again, I'm sorry about bumping into you."

"Goodbye." E said as she walked past the boy and jogged to catch up to Light and his friends.

"Oh err, bye." the boy said as he watched her leave.

E jogged to the Note Blue and walked inside. She glanced around the place and spotted Light and his friends sitting in a booth, giving their orders to the waiter.

E had concluded they will hang out here for a little while so she'd decided to go over to the counter and order something for herself. She was hungry. She hasn't eaten for over two hours.

"Good afternoon, what would you like?" the woman asked with a smile.

"A sundae."

"What flavour?"

"Every flavour you have and I would like to have all the toppings you have too."

The woman looked at E with a raised eyebrow, "Anything else?"

"A chocolate brownie. A blueberry muffin. And a strawberry milkshake."

The woman looked at E with surprised eyes but she smiled when she realised E must be ordering for her friends. The woman told her the price and E handed the money over to her.

"Your order will be brought to you soon. Please take a seat."

E nodded. She turned around to find a seat but when she turned she was face to face with the boy who bumped into her earlier.

"Oh, hi!" the boy smiled when he recognised E. "Funny seeing you again."

E didn't comment.

"Um, are you staying here?"

E nodded.

"I'm going to stay here for a little while too." the boy rubbed the nape of his neck, his stomach fluttered briefly in nervousness as he asked shyly. "Would you like to join me?"

E was about to decline, (like she usually would have done) but because she was following Light and his friends she thought it would be a good idea to sit with someone than sitting alone. It would look natural because everyone else in the Note Blue was sitting with somebody.

"Okay."

The boy smiled, "Great. Let's take a seat." he said as he led the way. E followed him and they both sat down in a booth. The boy sat normally while E sat in her usual position.

Once the boy settle into his seat he looked at E with a smile on his face and introduced himself, "I realised I haven't introduce myself. My name is Chikao."

"Alice."

"Alice." Chikao murmured slowly, he then looked at her and said with a smile. "I like it."

"Thank you."

"You're not from Japan, are you?"

E shook her head.

"Me too, I mean I am. My dad is Japanese and my mom is English."

"I see."

"Where are you from?"

"England."

Chikao eyes sparkled with excitement, "Like my mom! You must speak English then, right?"

E nodded and answered in English, "I do."

Chikao smile widened, he opened his mouth to ask another question but the waiter interrupted him by setting E's order down in front of her. Chikao eyes widened at the food.

"Thank you." she said to the waiter.

Chikao avert his eyes from her to order a cup of coffee. Once the waiter took his order he left and Chikao glanced back to look at E and said, "I'm going to go ahead and guess you didn't have breakfast this morning."

E shoved a spoonful of ice-cream into her mouth and nodded in response.

In the past fifteen minutes Chikao asked E all types of questions in English, (he enjoyed speaking to someone who can speak the same language as his mom) while E answered every question with a lie.

After a while E realised it's going to look bad if she doesn't start asking questions herself, so she asked after she swallowed her last mouthful of ice-cream, "Why are you here today?"

Chikao smiled, happy E finally said more than two words, "I came here to study. It gets noisy at my dorm."

"What are you studying?"

"Law."

"You want to become a lawyer?" E asked as she took a bite of her brownie.

Chikao nodded, "I do."

"You must be smart."

Chikao chuckled, his cheeks reddening as he rubbed the back of his neck (E noticed it was a habit of his to rub the nape of his neck), "I guess. I can speak four languages."

"Very smart." she said, amusing him but Chikao didn't notice. "Thank you."

E turned her gaze to the side (like she's been doing every few minutes to check on Light) and saw Light friends getting up and putting their jackets back on, getting ready to leave.

E stood up from her seat and said, "I have to go."

A flash of disappointment flash through Chikao eyes as he asked, "Where?"

"I have to meet someone."

"Oh, okay. It was nice meeting you." Chikao suddenly looked nervous, he rubbed the nape of his neck (again) and he asked shyly. "Err, can I have your number?"

"I dropped my phone in the sink."

"Oh. Well I can give you mine."

E nodded, "Okay."

Chikao wrote down his number in his notebook, he ripped the piece of paper and handed it over to E, "Call me."

E took it and put it away in her pocket. E noticed the blueberry muffin she ordered and realised she didn't touch it, so she pushed the plate to Chikao and said, "This is for you."

Chikao glance up to look at E, he stared at her for a moment before a small smile appeared on his lips. E smiled in return and Chikao felt a knot in his stomach. E turned around and left the Note Blue and continued to follow Light and his friends.

* * *

"How was your outing?" L asked E from the couch with a cup of coffee in his hand when she walked through the door. E had just arrived back to the hotel from following Light and Matsuda all day.

"Did you notice anything suspicious?" he decided to ask another question since she ignored his first question.

E took a seat on the couch beside L (she was still in her disguise). She wore a blonde wig with a baby blue cardigan over a white shirt, a pink skirt with white sandals.

"No. Nothing. Rather boring may I add."

_Of course._ L thought to himself.

E continued with a slight frown on her face, "Light and his friends just walked around Aoyama. I didn't notice anyone suspicious around Light and he didn't speak to anyone new, but I did notice Light checked regularly if someone was following him but he didn't make it obvious."

"And you're annoyed because of that." L stated when he noticed E's mood.

"I am. The Second Kira probably is stupid enough to meet the real Kira on the thirtieth."

L nodded in agreement, but he hoped that wasn't the case, "Probably." he took a huge gulp of his coffee, making an audible slurping noise before turning his dark and heavy gaze back on E. "Did Light notice you following him?"

"No. I changed my disguises four times. I'm certain he didn't recognise me."

Silence fell as L stared at E from head to toe while she kept her gaze on the carpet. He stared at her for a moment before he reached over and snatched the blonde wig off from her head. E's brown hair fell over shoulders.

E tore her gaze away from the carpet to look at him, "Why did you do that?"

"I can't take you seriously with the wig."

E stared at him for a moment before she reached her hand in her skirt pocket and pulled out a lollipop before muttering to herself, "Dummy."

"Did you just call me a dummy?"

E popped the lollipop in her mouth and blinked her eyes innocently.

* * *

L was perched on one of the many armchairs in the dark empty room with his coffee, alone in the living room. Earlier E left the room to change out of her disguise. Since then L drank five cups of coffee and ate half a cheesecake. He managed to do all of this in fifteen minutes. The young detective needed a lot of sugar if he planned to stay up all evening.

The door to the living room creaked open and E popped her head inside. She scanned the room before she entered the room and she closed the door behind her. She slowly made her way to her seat and sat beside L.

"Why did you check the room before you entered the room?" L asked. He didn't miss E inspecting the room before she entered the living room.

E settled into her seat and answered, "Because I saw a dark, creepy figure sitting alone in this room and I thought it was a shinigami, then I realised it was only you."

"Welcome back." L mumbled as took a large piece of cheesecake from his plate and placed it in his mouth. He did not appreciate her sarcastic comment.

E turned her attention on the coffee table and saw five empty teacups with half bitten éclairs on a plate, and there were three different types of cake on separate plates and they all had a slice cut out of them.

E raised an eyebrow at the table when she saw L's feast, "Are you planning to stay up all evening again L?"

L yawned and he said tiredly, "Address me as Ryuzaki."

She ignored his comment and asked, "Isn't it a bit late to eat all of this?"

"It's never late when you don't sleep."

E didn't comment, instead she thought about his words. She has noticed she had never seen L sleep before, which makes sense since the dark circles around his eyes weren't eyeliner. But L is human and he must sleep because if he didn't he would be dead. So when does he rest? How long does he sleep? And where? E would like to see the famous L sleeping.

L took notice of E's silence, he turned his head to look at her and saw she was staring at his feast. He figured she wanted a piece of cake. So he leaned forward and grabbed a plate of opera cake and held the plate to her, "Here."

That got E to look at him, her expression slightly bewildered. L had never offered her anything before. She looked at him with knitted eyebrows and asked, "What did I do to earn this privilege?"

"You kindly shared your cake with me. I'm willing to do the same."

E took the plate from his hand, looking quite unsure what was going on and eyeing the cake as though L had handed her a dead animal.

"Stop looking as if I handed you a bowl of salad."

E stared at the dessert with her large, brown eyes for another second before shoving a large piece in her mouth, making herself look like a squirrel.

L shook his head and continued to eat his cheesecake. E looked at him with her puffed up cheeks and large eyes. She swallowed her smashed up food and scanned his body from head to toe. She watched him put a forkful of cheesecake in his mouth and E asked her question that had been in her mind for quite some time, "Why do you sit like that?"

"Sit like what?"

E pointed her index finger at him, "Like that."

"If I sit normally my detective skills will immediately be reduced by forty percent."

E tilt her head to the side and looked at him with a confused expression.

L turned his gaze on her and asked, "Why do you prefer to sit with your legs cross all the time?"

"Because it's comfortable."

E stared at L's body for a moment, examining his sitting position before she uncrossed her legs. L watched her with curiosity, wondering what she was doing. She raised her legs and hugged them to her chest, she rest one hand atop her knee and she used her other hand to press her thumb to her bottom lip.

L stared at her with a puzzled expression on his face, "What are you doing?"

"I'm testing to see if your theory works." she answered as she wiggled her toes.

"It's not a theory-"

"Shh..."

L sighed tiredly to himself, but he was curious, so he continued to keep his eyes on E and watched her carefully with his dark-rimmed eyes, but after a few seconds an idea came to L's mind. He undone his sitting position and changed. He raised his legs and crossed them, now sitting in a cross-legged position. To complete the look he needed a lollipop, but unfortunately at the moment he didn't have any.

The two young detectives sat as each other in comfortable silence for a couple of minutes as they went through their thoughts. They looked very odd sitting in a different position other than their usual sitting position. Anyone who would walk into this room would think they entered a parallel universe if they saw the two unusual adults.

"Black magic."

L head perked up when he heard E murmur something to herself. He looked at her and said, "Pardon?"

"Black magic."

L raised an eyebrow, "What-"

"What if Kira uses black magic to kill his victims." E said hurriedly, pouring the words out of her mouth, interrupting L in the progress (for once not on purpose). She looked focussed at the moment. She was in detective mode. E was blurting out all of her ideas out from her mouth before she forgets. "Or voodoo, witchcraft or a hex to kill his victims?"

L stared at her with a serious face, it sharpened his features dramatically. He was not annoyed nor irritated by her, no, it was the opposite. He was very interested by her ideas, "What made you think of this?"

"Lately I've been pondering different ideas on how Kira kills his victims. I watched the footage of Light studying many times and I can't find anything odd, except the TV in his bag of potato chips."

L was shocked by the statement, "You've been watching the tapes?"

"Yes. Forty-eight times."

L eyes had widened infinitesimally, he hadn't been expecting such a reply from E, but the expression on his face was gone as quickly as it appeared, his previous shocked face had become expressionless once more. He was shocked to see E's motivation for the Kira investigation. He was not complaining. It was a rare sight to see E like this. Perhaps sitting in his usual position had helped her clear her thoughts.

L went ahead and asked, "You believe in the supernatural?"

E scrunched up her nose in distaste, "I don't." she answered in a bittersweet tone. Finally E turned her head and met his gaze and she said. "Wouldn't it be interesting if Kira could kill in other ways?"

L quirked an eyebrow at this, "Explain."

"For example, voodoo dolls, you can cause different physical pain. You could cause an accident, a disease or a heart attack. So why shouldn't Kira be able to kill his victims with accidents and diseases too?"

L absorbed this new information with interest as he stared at her with a transfixed expression, not breaking his stare even to blink. E had surprised him. He hadn't considered the idea of Kira being able to kill his victims in other ways other than a heart attack. He was impressed with E's theories and ideas tonight.

"That's an interesting idea but how would we be able to prove that?"

"We can't." she replied simply. She sat back in her usual position and sagged into her seat (it looked like she had finished with her theories tonight). "The only way to prove this theory is by capturing Kira and the Second Kira and _make_ them tell us how they murder their victims."

"That might be a difficult task."

"I know." E met his eyes and stared at his dark circles for a moment before setting her pale feet down on the carpet and stood up. She walked over to her bag by the TV and went through it. L watched her curiously and saw her pull out a blanket. She turned around and walked back to L and stood in front of him.

"You need to sleep."

L frowned, his brow furrowing, "I don't."

E quirked an eyebrow in interest at his behaviour.

_Hm, it seems L doesn't like being told what to do._

"You are behaving like a child."

"I'm not-"

E interrupted him (on purpose this time) by throwing the blanket over his head.

"Hm..." L hummed, not amused by E as he pulled the blanket off his head. He was surprised to find E crouched down in front of him, staring into his tired eyes. "Close your eyes."

"No-"

E interrupted him (once again) by reaching her hands forward and gently touched L eyelids, using her thumbs to close his eyes, "Sleep." she murmured.

Oddly enough, L obeyed her orders when he heard her soft voice. When E removed her hands he continued to keep his eyes shut, but before he fell asleep he brought his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs, hugging them to his chest and tilting his head to the side and relaxed into the couch.

E smiled and left the room.

* * *

~Author's Note~

What do you call a bear with no socks on?

Bare-foot.

I saw this joke and thought it was perfect for L because he doesn't wear socks. Get it? Yes? No? No. Okay...


	13. Chapter 13 Talk

Chapter 13: Talk

"So we were there both days. In Aoyama on the twenty-second and Shibuya on the twenty-fourth and we observed nothing of significance on neither location. That leaves us _with_only the Dome on the thirtieth."

The task force, including Light sat around the coffee table as they listened to Aizawa reading out the information from the report in his hand.

On the twenty-second and on the twenty-fourth, Light, Matsuda and E (without the task force knowledge) went to Aoyama and Shibuya and tried to look for the Second Kira, but not one of them noticed anything suspicious. Light and E thought the Second Kira was stupid enough to meet Kira at the Dome.

At the moment E was in her room, monitoring the task force while L ate his cake in silence when suddenly a W appeared on the laptop next to L.

"Ryuzaki, apparently Sakura TV has just received another message from the Second Kira. It was postmarked on the twenty-third."

The men stood up from their seats and looked at the laptop, ready to listen to the Second Kira's message.

"I'm happy to say that I have found Kira. To all the people of the television station and the police department I'd like to thank you very much."

"This is a disaster if he found him." Aizawa said with uneasiness in his voice.

"It most likely means that the two Kiras are now cooperating with each other." Soichiro added.

L picked up his cup of tea and stirred the warm liquid with a tea spoon, "At this point I don't think we should jump to any conclusions. The Second Kira is only saying that he found him, nothing more. He may not have made contact yet." he took a sip of his tea as he made a loud slurping sound and said. "Now that it has come to this we have no choice but to communicate as the police directly with the Second Kira."

"You want to send a message?" Matsuda asked.

"Yes. The police need to reach out to the copy cat and offer him a deal. We need to negotiate with him to see if we can get Kira's real name."

* * *

"If Kira doesn't yet know your name it may not be too late for you provided that you're willing to cooperate. Whatever you do you must not approach Kira out of curiosity. Make no mistake. Kira will kill you if you contact him. You'll be used and disposed of. Consider your own life for a moment. Yours, like every other life has intrinsic value. Now is your chance to right pass wrongs by sharing what you know about Kira. Only you can help us bring his reign of terror to an end."

L, E and the task force had their eyes on the TV screen as they listened to the message for the Second Kira to hear. Earlier Light helped Aizawa and Matsuda write the message for the Second Kira and send it to the TV station to be aired at eight o'clock this evening. Right after Light finished helping the task force with the message Soichiro told Light to go home because it was getting late and he has classes tomorrow. Light agreed and he said goodbye to the task force before he left the hotel for the evening.

"Do you think this will work?" Matsuda asked as he watched the TV screen in front of him.

Aizawa shrugged, "Maybe."

When the message ended L picked up the remote control beside him and turned the TV off before standing up from his seat. E tore her eyes away from the screen to glance up to look at L. He looked down to face her and said, "Shall we?"

E nodded, she uncrossed her legs and hopped, cat-like, out of the chair. L and E made their way to the room where they will be spending the night together and they sat down on the couch beside each other in front of the TV. Soichiro, Aizawa and Matsuda followed the detectives and stood behind them as Matsuda asked, "What are you two doing?"

"We're going to watch the footage from Aoyama on the twenty-second." L answered as he pointed the remote control at the TV screen and turned it on.

"You're actually planning to check all of the footage we got from Aoyama on the twenty-second by yourselves?" Aizawa asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That's right. I think it's very likely that Kira and the Second Kira made contact with each other on that day. I want to check all these tapes personally." L explained to the men as he put the first tape in the TV. "Mr. Yagami?"

"Oh, yes?"

"Please ask Mr. Mogi to start following Light so we can keep tabs on what he's doing."

"You want him followed?"

"It's only a slim chance but if Light is Kira then there's still the possibility that the Second Kira might try to contact him somehow."

Soichiro thought to himself for a moment before he sighed deeply in defeat, "Very well."

After Soichiro agreed to have his son followed by Mogi he turned and left the room to go and inform Mogi his task for tomorrow and give him the details of Light's schedule while Aizawa and Matsuda stayed behind and watched the two detectives staring at the bright screen in front of them.

"I'm starting to wonder if they're even human. They never sleep."

"I saw Ryuzaki sleeping in that exact same position the other day and I saw Toshiko sleeping on the coffee table."

"Huh?"

"No. I'm serious."

"Could you two leave. L and I have _important_ footage to observe."

Aizawa and Matsuda turned their heads to look at E and saw she had her eyes glued to the TV screen with a blank expression on her face. E is the only person that would ask them to leave like that with an expression she's wearing right now. Matsuda nodded while Aizawa frowned at her, they turned around and left the room to continue working on the Kira case.

L tore his eyes away from the TV screen to look at E on his side and saw she had her head facing the TV screen. He said, "How many times do I have to remind you to address me by Ryuzaki?"

"As many times as you like."

"Could you please start addressing me by Ryuzaki?"

"Is that an order?"

"It is."

"Well then, no."

"Why not?"

"I don't take orders." E finally tore her eyes from the screen to look at him. "Did you forget L?"

"You're infuriating." L mumbled as he turned his head to face the TV screen once again.

In the past thirty minutes L and E kept their eyes on the TV screen as they analysed the video footage in silence. So far the two young detectives haven't noticed anything odd or suspicious in the footage. They watched Light and Matsuda walking to Aoyama side by side as they spoke to each other. The two men walked towards a group of people, Light greeted them and he introduced Matsuda to his friends.

"Where are you?" L asked with the end of his thumbnail caught between his teeth.

"I'm the one sitting on the bench with the red scattered shirt."

He focussed on the screen and saw a girl sitting on a bench, reading a book.

"You look like a seventeen year old."

"That was the intention."

L resumed watching the screen and saw Light and his friends making their way to the Note Blue. E put her book away in her backpack and she followed the group of students.

L continued to study the screen in silence, but his eyes widened slightly in interest when he saw E with a guy.

"Who is he?" L asked, staring at the screen as he watched E help the boy pick up his belongings.

"Chikao." E simply replied as she shifted forward in her seat to grab her bowl of colourful macarons.

He tore his eyes away from the screen to look at her with a raised eyebrow, "You know his name?"

"I do." she put a pink macaron in her mouth and chewed happily.

"You didn't speak to him for very long." he noted as he watched E walk past the guy.

"I met him again at the Note Blue. We sat together and had lunch and we spoke until Light left." she explained, after her explanation she shoved a blue and purple macaron in her mouth.

"Is that so?"

"I found out something interesting about him."

L looked at her, his interest piqued, "What is it?"

"He's studying to become a detective so I asked him to join the Kira investigation."

He frowned, "You asked him to join the Kira investigation?" L was annoyed that E had asked a complete stranger to come and join the Kira investigation without discussing it with him about it first.

"I did. He's coming over tomorrow after his lessons."

"I didn't give you permission."

"I didn't need _your_ permission." she paused for a moment to place a yellow macaron in her mouth. "He's very good, better than Matsuda. I know he will be a great use to us."

L's frown deepened as he said in a stern tone, "I will not allow this."

E was looking through her bowl of macarons, but paused when she heard L's response. She glanced away from her bowl of macarons to look at him, "Why not?"

"I do not trust him. I will not reveal my face to him."

"He doesn't need to be aware of your identity. Introduce yourself as Ryuzaki."

"I would, but what if you slip up and address me as L?"

A small frown crossed her features, "I'm not careless like that."

"He's not allowed to come to this hotel."

"Too late, I've already given him the address."

"I'll change hotels."

"I'll give him the address to that hotel."

"E…" L warned as he stared intensely at E with his deep, black eyes.

"Remember L to address me by Toshiko." E mocked him with a smirk plastered on her lips.

"I'm losing my patience with you."

"Mm..." she hummed as she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What will you do when you lose your patience with me?"

L thought for a moment, considering his options. Once he'd decided what to do he looked at E in the eye and said, "I will kick you out of the hotel."

"I should have done this on my first day here."

He frowned at her, "I've lost my patience with you."

"Oh?" she looked at him with her large, curious eyes. "What are you _really_ going to do?"

L leaned forward and flicked E on the head.

E stared at him, an expression that could only be described as stupidity, which was an odd look for E.

"That was mean."

"You're infuriating."

E's expression suddenly turned stern and she said in a serious tone, "I have to tell you something."

L looked at her curiously, wondering why the sudden change, "What is it?"

"Everything I said about Chikao was a lie."

L stared at her without saying a single word as he thought about her words. After a few seconds he shook his head and he revert his gaze back to the TV screen, "You really are infuriating."

E broke into a slight grin.

He asked, "Why did you lie?"

"I was bored."

"I should have known."

E grinned in victory at completing her mission to annoy L. Therefore she had decided to reward herself with a cup of vanilla milkshake. She shifted forward in her seat to grab her cup from the coffee table. L took notice of this and looked at E's arm.

"It's been over two weeks since I stitched your arm." he stated with his thumb pressed to his bottom lip as he stared at her arm.

E realised what L was implying and she wasn't happy about it. Therefore she pulled her hand back, leaving her milkshake behind and quickly said, "Actually it's been three weeks." she corrected him as she shoved three colourful macarons in her mouth.

"Well then it's time to take them out."

"I've already taken them out." she said, her mouth full of macarons.

"Do you mind if I take a look?"

"I do."

L, of course, didn't listen. He took a hold of her arm and brought it to his side, grasping it firmly so she wouldn't pull back. E frowned at him with her cheeks puffed out like a baby rabbit. L didn't notice the look she was giving him because he had his eyes on her arm. He rolled her sleeve up and he unwrap the white bandage and inspected her arm.

Her stitches were still there.

"You lied again." L murmured as he continued to stare at her arm.

E's expression changed to a look of worry, "What are you going to do?"

He tore his eyes away from her arm to look at her face, "Take them out."

E stuck the last four macarons into her mouth, she chewed and swallowed the smashed up food. Once there was no more food to 'nervous eat' anymore E reached her free hand into her pocket and popped a lollipop in her mouth. She'd done all of this all under a minute. E sucked on the lollipop nervously while L called Watari and asked him to bring in the first aid kit. Watari entered the room and set the first aid kit down on the coffee table beside L. Before Watari departed the room he kindly took the empty bowl from E's lap and left the room. E pulled out another lollipop from her pocket and started sucking on it (since the last one finished). L pulled out the disinfectant and started cleaning E's arm before he takes the stitches out.

"I'm not happy."

"That's too bad."

E grunted in response (a sound she learnt from Aizawa). L took out the tweezers and the scissors from the first aid kit and he started to remove the stitches.

E closed her eyes shut as she continued to suck on her lollipop nervously.

L took notice of E's discomfort, so he'd decided to try and calm down her nerves, "Count backwards from one hundred." he advised. "That's what Watari says to do when you're attending a wound for someone."

She nodded and she started counting under her breath.

"To yourself." he added.

"I knew that."

L shook his head in amusement.

E's voice died away as she started to count in her head, but after ten seconds she said, "It's not working."

"That's because you only counted to ninety."

"No, it's because it doesn't work." she took another two lollipops out from her pocket and she put both of them into her mouth.

"I've noticed you have about twelve lollipops a day." L said in German as he cut the first stitch from E's arm.

"You counted?" E asked in French with the two lollipops bulging in each cheek. The rest of their conversation the two young detectives spoke to each other in a variety of languages.

"I did."

"You must be _very_ bored."

"No. Just curious."

"Bored."

"It's not that."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Liar."

L sighed to himself as he continued to take the stitches out of her arm.

E pulled the lollipops out of her mouth and began to explain, "When I stay up for twelve hours I have ten. Sixteen hours I have fifteen. Twenty hours I have twenty-one. Twenty-four hours I have thirty."

"That's a lot." he commented. "Why do you have so many?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "It's a habit. For instance when you press your index finger or thumb to your lips when you're in thought."

"I see. A lot of people have their own little habits." L murmured as he thought of Near and Mello and their habits.

"Who are you thinking of?" E asked. She knew L was talking about someone even though all she could see was L's big mop of black hair.

"It's not important."

"I want to know."

"Too bad because I'm not telling you."

"You can be very rude sometimes, L." she pouted as she popped the lollipops back in her mouth.

"Why do you insist on addressing me as L instead of Ryuzaki?"

"I don't like it."

L arched an eyebrow. He glanced away from E's arm to look at her face, "Why?"

"I like your name."

L tilt his head to the side, "Do you mean L?"

E nodded her head and hummed in response as she continued to enjoy the sweetness of her lollipop.

"But that's not my name."

"I know."

"So why do you address me as L?"

"Because that's the letter everyone knows you by. It's like your name. And besides, your name must start with the letter L."

L stared at E for a long moment before he broke his gaze and went back to removing her stitches, "And your name must start with the letter E."

"Correct."

He glanced up for a second to look at her in the eye, "What's your name?"

E snorted.

"Your name is-" L snorted, asking her if the snort was her name.

E snorted once again, but this snort was different, it was a mixture of a snort and a laugh.

L stared at her as he watched her silently with his black-rimmed eyes.

E calmed down after a few seconds, she glanced up and noticed L was staring at her. Silence fell as their eyes met. After a few seconds of staring at one another E glanced away and used her free hand to scratch her head meekly. There was an awkward silence between them.

"Are you done yet? I'm tired of talking to you."

_Looks like E is back to her normal self._ L thought to himself.

He glanced back down and continued to remove E's stitches, "Not yet."

She nodded silently as she pulled out a new lollipop out from her pocket and stuck it into her mouth.

L asked as he removed another stitch, "Do you want to take a look at your arm?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'll look when it's done."

"Are you scared?"

E coughed, "I've seen two people stitched together." L glanced up to look at her with disgust. "I know. It wasn't a pleasant sight. My point is I've seen worse. This is nothing."

"Then why won't you take a look?"

"I don't like looking at stuff like this on myself."

"Hm..." L hummed as he removed another stitch. "I understand."

E cocked her head to the side as she looked at L's big mop of black hair. She took a chance and asked, "Have you ever gotten stitches?"

"I have."

E was surprised by the honest answer, "Where?"

"On my leg."

"What happened?"

"Same as you got yours."

"A criminal?"

"Yes."

"Did you stitch your own leg?"

"No. Watari attended my wound." L glanced up to look at E, "If I remember correctly you told me you decided not to stitch your arm because it hurts." he looked at her in the eye and asked. "You had stitches before?"

"I have."

"Where?"

E used her free hand to pull her collar down slightly and right on her collar bone there was a small white scar.

L stared at the scar and asked, "How did you get that scar?"

E didn't answer.

He guessed the answer, "Was it a criminal?"

Yet again, E didn't answer. L realised it was a topic E didn't want to talk about. He could press on, but he knew if he did each answer from E's mouth would be a no. Therefore L had decided to change the subject.

"You speak each language perfectly." he said, back to Japanese. The two detectives started speaking to each other in Japanese again.

"I know."

"Where are you originally from?"

"I'm not going to tell you that."

"Where did you grow up?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

"Why did you become a detective?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

"How did Marilyn find you?"

"Do not try and use this opportunity to ask me personal questions about myself because of my arm. I'm aware I speak a lot when I'm nervous but your little plan won't work. I will not reveal a thing about myself."

"I should have known." L mumbled as he pulled back. "Finished."

E glanced down to look at her new scar.

"I will clean your arm and put a bandage on."

She nodded in understanding. L wiped her arm with cotton wool with disinfectant on it. Once he was done he wrapped a white bandage on her arm.

E said quietly, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"L."

He glanced up to look at her, "Yes?"

"May I look at your scar?"

L stared at her with his wide, black eyes for a moment, surprised by the odd request. After a few seconds he nodded his head in agreement.

L pulled his blue jeans half way up his leg and E saw a white scar alongside his leg.

"How old is it?"

"Six years."

"How old are you L?" she asked, her eyes never leaving his leg.

L was taken aback by the sudden question. He stayed silent for a moment, debating if he should tell her his age or not. L watched E examining his scar with interest. She leaned forward and touched his scar like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. Like a child who'd discovered themselves in the mirror.

It wouldn't cause any harm if she knew his age.

"I'm twenty-four."

"You were nineteen."

L nodded and he asked, "How old are you E?"

E finally tore her gaze from L's leg to look at him in the eye.

"I'm not going to tell you."

L raised an eyebrow, "Why not?"

"_I will not reveal a thing about myself._" E repeated her earlier words.

"That's not fair."

E focussed her attention back on the TV screen and said, "If you want I can tell you my fake age."

"You really are infuriating."

* * *

Its eight o'clock in the morning and L and E had finished examining all the tapes from Aoyama. They'd spent all night watching the tapes and they found nothing suspicious.

E was sagged in her seat as she stared at the TV with a frown on her face while she stuffed her face with French mousse.

L looked over at E and pointed out, "You seem irritated."

"I am." she licked the mousse off her spoon.

"And why are you irritated?"

"Because we didn't find anything suspicious on the twenty-second." she explained with a frown on her face. L agreed with her but he didn't comment, instead he turned his head towards the TV.

E glanced away from the screen to look at L. She watched him for a moment and saw the light from the TV screen had brighten up his eyes, giving them the illusion that there was life in his eyes.

E continued to stare at him before she sat up and reached her hand forward and grabbed a bowl of mousse from the coffee table. E poked L on the arm to get his attention. He glanced away from the screen to look at her questionably. She held the bowl of mousse in front of him and said, "Mousse?"

L glanced down to look at the chocolate mousse before glancing back to look at E. She looked like a little girl with her innocent brown eyes waiting for him to take her offer. He nodded slowly and took the bowl of mousse, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Ryuzaki."

At the same exact time L and E turned their heads towards the laptop screen that was set on the coffee table. They'd put all of their attention on the sliver laptop.

"Yes Watari?" L said.

"I received a new tape from the Second Kira."

E sat up straight in her seat, her interest piqued and L said, "Please play the message."

"Alright." Watari said and a second later the word Kira appeared on the screen and it said.

"I've decided to stop searching for Kira. And I'd like to thank the police department for their advice. However I still plan to help Kira on his mission. And I hope that in time he'll come to see me as an ally. I will start by punishing criminals that Kira has yet to judge. Also I will share my power with others who I feel are worthy and I will _encourage_them to do the same. Together we'll make this world a better place."

L and E stayed silent after watching the video as they thought about the Second Kira's words.

"What do you think?" E asked after a minute of silence.

"Kira and the Second Kira have managed to make contact."

She raised an eyebrow, inviting him to continue, "Explain."

"The Second Kira was determined to meet Kira, why the sudden change of heart? I suspect the purpose of this message is to hide the fact that they met. It would be an effective means of provoking us. The idea of their union is very threatening."

"Now it's two detectives against two Kiras."

"Yes. However, this is also one less reason to suspect that Light is Kira."

E looked at him with a face that L couldn't describe, but he knew she wasn't happy with his comment, "Kira would have made the Second Kira go through with his plan to have me appear on TV, then deny they had ever made contact, letting the Second Kira _shoulder_the blame for my death."

E watched him carefully with her dark, black eyes and said, "You're mocking me."

L arched an eyebrow, "Why do you say that?"

"You know I believe Light is Kira. Saying he's not will irritate me and you know that."

"You're right. I was lying. But I was practicing to say this to Light." he looked at her and added. "And to annoy you."

"Hm…" she pursed her lips, she wasn't amused by his answer. "Are you going to invite Light?"

"I am."

* * *

"Hello." Light greeted as he walked in the hotel room, closing the door behind him.

L turned his head to look at Light and said, "Oh, come in. Your timing couldn't be better actually. We just received a new video message from the Second Kira."

"Huh? That _didn't take long." Light said, surprised by the new information. He walked in further into the room and stood beside L._

"Yes. I believe it's the last one." L pointed the remote control at the TV and played the message. "Well, take a look at this."

Light stood still and concentrated on the Second Kira's words. After a minute the video ended. L pressed the button on the remote control and turned the TV off and said, "After watching this I can only think that Kira and the Second Kira have managed to make contact."

Light's face hardened, "What makes you say that?"

"Oh, come on. Didn't you sense it? I was sure you would come to the same conclusion I did after watching this once through." L took one of E's donuts from the box she forgot about earlier when she left to go to her room. L had decided to eat them for her. He took a bite and explained. "First consider how determined he was to meet Kira, so why the sudden change of heart? Now he wants to punish criminals that Kira hasn't? All he wants out of all of this was Kira to see him as an alley? It begs the question, why didn't he do this to begin with? I'm guessing it's because he never thought that far ahead. He probably met Kira and was told which criminals he'd be allowed to judge. I suspect the purpose of this message is to hide the fact that they met."

"I see. What I found really strange is that it's unlike Kira to be so careless."

"That's true." L licked his fingers clean and repeated his words he said to E earlier. "But are we to believe that Kira made a mistake this time? Or is this a way of letting us know they made contact? It would be an effective means of provoking us. The idea of their union is very threatening. However, this is also one less reason to suspect that Light is Kira."

Soichiro gasped slightly and he asked desperately, "Ryuzaki, what do you mean by that?"

"If Light is Kira, I don't think this is the message he would have had the Second Kira send us. It doesn't fit. He would have made the Second Kira go through with this plan to have me appear on TV, then deny they had ever made contact, letting the Second Kira _shoulder _the blame for my death." L picked up another donut and licked the icing. "He'd make him say something like... 'Although I agree not to go through with this, I have come to realize that it was not Kira's true intention that I stop. I'm positive that the real Kira would want L to die. There's no way he'd make me stop.'"

"Ryuzaki."

"Yes Light?"

"I think you are mistaken. I would never do that if I were Kira."

"Why not?"

"Well, if you are L and I'm Kira, then I'd already know your personality pretty well. L would never agree to appear on TV no matter what threat he was facing. And he wouldn't allow someone else to die in his place. The L I know would find some way to escape the situation."

L stared at the black TV screen for a moment before turning his head to face Light, "So you figured it out."

Soichiro stepped forward and said to his son, "Look Light. You've got to stop that. I don't like hearing you say, 'If I were Kira' even hypothetically."

"Oh, I'm sorry dad. I just wanted to let Ryuzaki know exactly what I thought of his plan. I posed that scenario because I want to help solve this case. It's the only chance I have to clear my name. Besides the only reason I feel comfortable saying things like that is because I'm not really Kira."

L added several sugar cubes into his cup of coffee and said, "That's a good point. You're not Kira. That is, it will be a problem if you were Kira because I feel you are the first friend that I have ever had." he murmured in a soft tone as he took a sip of his coffee.

Light stared at him for a second, surprise and shock written on his face. After a few seconds he composed himself and replied, "Yeah. I know what you mean. The two of us have a lot in common."

"Thank you."

"And I have missed having you around at school. We should play tennis again soon."

"Yes, we should."

* * *

"Well done L, you finally made your first friend." E said in a mocking tone as she took a seat beside L and patted his head, as if he was a child who had completed his homework.

As soon as Light left the hotel room for the evening E walked out of her room and entered the living room to meet L.

"Why are you saying it as in your mocking me?" L asked in a flat tone as he stirred his tea while E continued to pat his head.

"Oh? Did I sound like I was mocking you?" she asked as if she wasn't aware by the tone she'd used. She removed her hand and said, "I apologise. I thought I should congratulate you for making a friend. It took you twenty-four years but you finally did it." she grinned and she gave him a thumbs up. L on the other hand was not amused. E noticed the box of donuts on the coffee table, she reached her hand forward and stole a donut and ate it.

"You're mocking me." L said flatly as he continued to stir his cup of tea.

E said with a mouthful of food, "Correct."

L sighed as he added six sugar cubes into his cup and he said, "He's not my friend."

"Oh?" E looked at him, her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk, she swallowed and asked. "Why is that?"

"Because he's Kira."

She looked at him with her wide, curious eyes, "Or maybe it's because you don't want friends."

L paused from stirring his warm cup of tea to think about E's words. He stared at the brown liquid with his dull eyes before he nodded his head, "Correct."

E tilt her head to the side, "Why?"

He took a sip of his tea and explained, "If I make a friend they will have to know about my identity. I can't allow that."

"Isn't Matsuda your friend? He knows the real you."

L scrunched up his nose is distaste. E was amused by his reaction.

"Okay, what about Mr. Yagami, Aizawa and Mogi?"

"They only work for me."

"The famous L has no friends, how sad."

"What about you?" he turned his gaze on her. "Do you have a friend?"

"Of course I have friends."

L raised an eyebrow curiously, "Who?"

E shifted forward and grabbed the box of donuts from the coffee table and she set the box down on her lap, "These beauties."

L lips curved up into a smile as he watched her stuffed her face with donuts, "You don't eat your friends."

"Well this friend does." she said as she took another bite of her donut.

L continued to smile at her but his smile faded when he felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. He reached his hand in his pocket and answered the call. E paused from eating her donuts to look at L. She stared at him for a moment before deciding to lean forward and press her cheek on L's to listen to the call too. L rolled his eyes to the side to look at E when he heard.

"I followed Light home and saw a blonde girl with him." Mogi notified L over the phone.

"He has two girlfriends?" E murmured to herself. Earlier today Mogi informed the two detectives Light is dating a girl from his university.

"Did you take a picture?" L asked.

"I did, but it's dark. The picture might not show up well."

"That's alright, please send it."

"Alright."

L ended the phone call and a second later he received a message from Mogi. He opened the message and the two young detectives both analysed the picture in front of them with E's cheek still pressed against L's.

L looked at her with his eyes and said, "You can remove your cheek from mine now."

The fact that E still had her cheek pressed against L's registered to her head. She removed her cheek and backed away, she sat back down in her seat and murmured, "I apologise."

L stared at her, his eyes slightly wide. He honestly thought she was going to continue pressing her cheek against his to irritate him.

"Misa Amane." E murmured to herself, her eyes were glued to the phone screen as she continued to study the image.

L stared at her and he asked with a raised eyebrow, "You know her?"

"She' a model. I've seen her pictures in the August issue of Eighteen." E explained. She suddenly stood up from her seat and walked over to her bag and pulled out a magazine. E held the magazine in front of L for him to take, he took it and he flipped through the pages while E sat back down and grabbed L's cell phone and dialled a mobile number.

"Marilyn. Please get Kiyomi Takada and Misa Amane addresses and search their homes." E ordered and ended the call, she handed the phone back to L.

L looked away from the magazine to look at E and asked, "What are you planning?"

"Nothing you weren't already planning to do."

"Match their stuff to the tapes."

"Bingo."

* * *

"I found the Second Kira."

"You mean _we_."

"Whatever floats your boat."

L sighed and he took a seat on the green couch next to E around the small coffee table and looked through the samples that lay across the table. This morning Watari travelled to Kiyomi Takada home and collected a few things from her room, such as hair, crumps and paper. While Marilyn went to Misa Amane home and done the same thing. This afternoon they arrived back to the hotel and gave L and E the samples they'd collected from the suspects homes. E went ahead and started matching their things to the Second Kira's fingerprints while L kept the task force busy. Once the task force were occupied L left the room and went to check on E.

L looked at her and asked, "So who's the Second Kira?"

E tore her gaze from the sample in her hand to turn her brown eyes on him. She looked at him for a moment before she stood up and said, "I'll tell you right after I get a snack."

That was over an hour ago.

After five minutes of waiting for E to arrive back L started going through the samples himself and matched them up. L now knows who the Second Kira is.

Finally, an hour later E walked back into the room with a muffin in her hand (and mouth).

L glanced up from the samples and saw E stood in front of him, "What took you so long?"

"I was deciding what muffin I wanted."

L raised an eyebrow, "And it took you over an hour to choose?"

"It was a very difficult decision."

L sighed and he looked back at the samples on the table. E pulled something behind her back and held it in front of him. L noticed the gesture so he glanced up and saw a blueberry muffin in front of his eyes. He stared at the muffin with knitted eyebrows for a moment before he glanced up to look at E.

"I got you a muffin."

L looked back at the blueberry muffin.

It looked good.

L accepted the muffin and he took a large bite out of it, "You are forgiven."

"It wasn't an apology muffin." she stated as she climbed onto the seat beside him.

L asked, munching on a mouthful of blueberry muffin, "What was it for then?"

"A well done muffin."

He looked at her with a mouthful of muffin and asked, "Why?"

"Because you figured out who the Second Kira is."

It took a moment for L to realise E left on purpose so he could figure it out on his own.

L looked away and said, "You are infuriating."

"That's the fourth time you said that today."

"You must realise how annoying you are by now."

E opened her mouth to reply but closed it when Soichiro, Aizawa and Matsuda entered the room. The men must have completed their work L had given them earlier. L and E glanced away from each other and turned their gaze to the table. L picked up a sample and held it above his head, inspecting it. E stared at him. She knew he was faking examining the samples because the men walked into the room. He was planning something.

"Hair..." L murmured, he set the sample down and picked up another. "Snack crumbs... hair... Mr. Yagami, if I die within the next few days your son is Kira. Hm, another hair."

"Light is Kira, even if you die or not." E said to L as she took her last bite of muffin.

Aizawa looked at her and frowned.

Soichiro stood up from his seat and shouted, "What did you just say Ryuzaki?"

"Exactly." Matsuda asked. "What are you talking about anyway?"

"If anything happens to me I'v_e asked_ Watari to make himself available to you, so I'm counting on the team."

"Ryuzaki, you said he was almost cleared and now this? Honestly how much do you suspect my son?"

"The truth is I don't even know what to think anymore. I've never been in a situation like this. If Kira and the Second Kira are working together right now things are not _looking_good for me. Given that, I may not be thinking as clearly as I normally do, so I could be wrong." L took a bite of his muffin and continued his sentence. "Maybe I still consider him a suspect only because we don't have anyone else. But still if I do happen to be killed soon, please assume that your son is Kira."

"He is Kira."

"Stop it!" Aizawa finally spoke up, anger flowing through his voice. He stood up and said to E. "Stop assuming Light is Kira."

"Why?" E asked. She sounded like a child when they ask their parents why they can't have cookies before dinner.

"Because you have no evidence to say Light is Kira!"

E glanced up to look at Aizawa with her large, brown eyes and asked innocently, "Why are you getting so upset about this Mr. Aizawa?"

"I'm not upset!"

"Mr. Aizawa." she said sternly as she looked at him carefully. "Let's say for example Makoto Toshihiro is Kira, would you argue with me about it all the time?"

Aizawa raised an eyebrow, "Who's Makoto Toshihiro?"

E answered simply, "A criminal."

"Well then I won't."

"So why do you defend Light?"

The frown returned to his face and he said, "Because he hasn't done anything wrong!"

E stared back with her dark eyes and said sternly, "He has. He's a criminal. He killed hundreds of people."

"He's not Kira!"

E sighed in defeat when he still couldn't understand her little theory.

"You are all dismissed. Please continue your work." L ordered as he continued to examine the sample in his hand.

The men nodded slowly, they turned around and left the two detectives alone. Soichiro left the room with a worried expression. Aizawa left the room with a frown on his face. And Matsuda left the room confused by the conversation they had.

When E heard the door close she turned her head to look at L and saw he continued to inspect the sample in front of him and she asked, "What are you planning to do?"

L set the sample down on the small table and answered her question, "I have no choice but to make a sneak attack."

"Hm…" she thought for a moment, her interest piqued. "Sounds fun. Can I join?"

"No."

"I'll wear a disguise."

"I also said no."

E asked with a bit of a pout, "Why not?"

"You have to stay here and watch the task force."

"I'm not a babysitter."

"If you were you would be a terrible one."

"That's rude."


End file.
